Aki no Drama
by ironia-vitae
Summary: Miyako and Kaoru still haven't found dates for the autumn dance, and decide to go together with Kaoru disguised as a boy. Himeko, however, doesn't buy into the fake identity, and is bent on exposing who it really is. This complicates things. KaoMiya
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'd just like to give a little background on the start of this fic in response to some of my reviewers. AnD starts out post-series, so there's already been a lot of bonding between the girls. During that time, we fans had the KaoMiya bug implanted in our brains for our own choice reasons from the series to which we can refer, and therein lies the start of Kaoru's feelings for Miyako. As the fic begins, these feelings aren't new; dealing with them honestly and acting upon them are. Sorry for any confusion.

--

Chapter 1-

Autumn whipped through Tokyo, its very essence in the air nipping at three girls' faces as they walked home from school. Each had been handed a flyer upon exiting the schoolyard. The redhead of the group held it up to her face, eyes riveted to the page.

"Ehh! A fall dance? How romantic!" she squealed excitedly, clutching the page to her heart. The blonde next to her smiled softly.

"Isn't it?" she cooed. The final, coal-haired member of the trio crushed the advertisement into her pocket unceremoniously.

"Waste of time," she scoffed. The redhead frowned at her.

"Oh, Kaoru, it's just like you to say something like that. Don't you even care about finding a date, getting all dressed up, and dancing the night away?"

Kaoru paused, sarcastically pretending to think about her answer. "Mmm… no." The girl addressed frowned again, but the blonde only laughed.

"Just like Kaoru."

"I don't know why _you're_ so excited about it, Momoko," Kaoru told the redhead. "You probably won't even find a date."

"I will so! You just wait!" Momoko yelled. The blonde kept smiling at her friends' antics, despite the guilt rising in her chest.

"Hey, Miyako!" The blonde snapped out of her thoughts at Momoko's voice. "Who are you going to go with?" Miyako blushed slightly.

"Um, I don't know yet…"

Kaoru scoffed again. "Take your pick of the school," she teased. "All the guys are gonna be after you." Miyako blushed more, muttering a faint "um". Momoko grinned at Kaoru suspiciously.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous...!"

Her words shot through Kaoru like a bullet. She jumped, stiffening, face flushed. "I-I'm not!" she protested loudly. Her friends laughed, Miyako more subdued than Momoko. She was still so unsure…

_The dance…_

Miyako sat at her desk that night, dressed in her pajamas. Even after pouring her thoughts into her journal, she still had no idea what she was going to do about the dance. Looking at the flyer tacked to the wall above the desk, she noticed that there were still two weeks until the day. At least she had some time to think about it.

Getting up, she went over to the window and looked out at the starry sky, a habit of hers whenever she thought about Takaaki. He was the main reason for her trouble. She felt obligated to go with him. But what if he was still too sick to go? Would she stay behind? Or would she go with someone else? And if so, who with? The stars slowly twinkled back at her, as if trying to comfort her or give her advice from their heavenly abode. Miyako stretched and climbed into bed, snuggling up next to Octi. Sleep would be a long time in coming.

***

At the Matsubara residence, Kaoru was also having problems falling asleep. After tossing and turning for several long minutes, she sat up and stared blankly into the darkness. She couldn't get Momoko's words out of her head.

_If I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous!_

Jealous of the boys? Kaoru shook her head vehemently, trying to throw off the color she felt flooding her cheeks. Surely Momoko had meant she was jealous of Miyako. As much as she teased Momoko about it, Kaoru knew no guy would be interested in her. She went so far as thinking that Momoko had a better shot at getting a date than herself.

Strangely, Kaoru found she didn't really care. All the boys in her class were stupid, anyway. She couldn't figure out what the other girls found so attractive in them. What she found more unsettling than her lacking interest in boys was her increasing interest in Miyako. She'd been dealing with butterflies and skipping heartbeats around her for a while now, but she had dismissed it as anything else she could think of. Momoko's words brought everything into a new light.

Kaoru began an endless game of hide-and-seek between her nerves and the truth, not wanting to admit it to herself, but not being able to ignore it anymore. She grappled with these feelings deep into the night.

// end ch1


	2. Chapter 2

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 2 –

That weekend, Miyako decided to visit the hospital and leave with a decision. Either she would go, or she wouldn't. She just hoped the choice would be as simple as it sounded.

After eating with Momoko and Kaoru at the Kintoki shop, she walked through the afternoon sunshine to the hospital. The lady at the front desk smiled at her, Miyako had long since become a frequent visitor and all the nurses knew her. She tried to smile confidently back at the older woman, and began to make her way to the children's ward. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she made her way down the halls, staring at the seafoam-colored tiles beneath her. She was anything but confident- she knew talking to Takaaki about these things wouldn't be easy.

Looking up at the door to Takaaki's room, she absently wondered how she had managed to end up at the right place, as she was so involved in her anxiety that she honestly couldn't remember walking the hospital corridors. She sighed, gathering up her courage, and pushed the door open timidly.

"Hello…?" she called out.

A slightly irritated "Who's there" answered her. She slipped inside, letting the door close quietly behind her. She smiled at Takaaki as he sat up to greet her, looking more cheerful than he had sounded before.

"Ah, Miyako! It's been a while since I last saw you. How's school? You busy?"

"Yes, school's been busy. I'm sorry I haven't been in to see you more." _There's been other things keeping me busy, too,_ she thought, pictures of her friends' Powerpuff Z alter-egos flashing in her mind. Takaaki's voice cut through her thoughts.

"It's alright, I understand. How are you're friends?"

"Kaoru's fine, you know her," she giggled out of nervous tension. Takaaki nodded.

"And Momoko, too?"

"Oh, y-yes," she stammered. How could she have forgotten Momoko? She was so spacey today. _Better get it over with…_ She took a deep breath.

"…Hey, Takaaki?"

"Yeah?"

_How do I put this?_ "Do the doctors say… Are you…getting better? I mean…"

"The nurses tell me my progress is steady but slow."

"So, you wouldn't be able to, you know, go out, um… next week, huh?" Takaaki's face fell, it must have seemed a stupid question.

"Of course not. I've been in the hospital this whole time, why would I magically get better now?" Miyako visible retreated, fiddling with the hem of her skirt and looking at the floor.

"Oh, well I guess not. I'm sorry, I- never mind…" Takaaki's gaze softened, and he sighed.

"It's okay. Why do you ask though?"

"Well, my school is having a dance next weekend…"

"And you thought _I_ could go?" He looked at her incredulously.

"I-I kinda felt obligated to—"

"Oh, you felt _obligated_. I see. Thought you'd try to make me _feel_ better." His voice was harsh and accusing, and it ripped through Miyako. Her eyes snapped up to look at him.

"No, I—"

"Well you didn't. Or did you come to tell me you asked someone else? Did you come to shove it in my face?"

Tears pricked Miyako's eyes. _It's just the black light in him, it's just the black light…_ His voice turned to a mocking tone.

"Oh, I'm going to the _dance_, and afterwards I'm gonna fucking _fly_ around the city with the Powerpuff Girl—"

"LEAVE THEM OUT OF THIS!!"

Takaaki stopped dead. Despite the tears glistening in her eyes, Miyako looked fierce. "This has nothing to do with them." Her voice was firm, and so soft it thundered in the silence. Takaaki gripped the bed sheets, staring intently at the wall. This wasn't the Miyako he had known. _Then again, we've both changed,_ he thought.

"…You're really protective of them," he pointed out blandly, searching for a counterargument. Miyako blinked hard.

"They're my friends."

"Are they?" he said without thinking.

"I know they are." Her blue-eyed gaze bored into his skull. "You can't shake my loyalty to them, or my feelings towards them." Her scrutiny willed Takaaki to look at her as she softly finished: "But I guess I was wrong about you."

"…Is that it? Are they more important to you than me?" Miyako was silent, looking through him to the wall.

"I have my answer. I'm sorry to have bothered you." She turned to leave, but was stopped by Takaaki sputtering.

"Wh-What does Kaoru mean to you?" She turned her head.

"Why do you ask?" she questioned warily.

"I- well… She seems… really into you, I guess… I mean…" he flushed under Miyako's steady eye. "Never mind…" He stared at the foot of the bed, brow furrowed. Miyako looked at Takaaki a moment more, hoping for an explanation of his words. She turned to face him as she reached back for the doorknob, opening the door slightly. She backed out of the room feeling numb.

"… Goodbye."

Takaaki didn't dignify her with an answer as she left him to the sterile solitude of the hospital ward.

Miyako stared at the door for several minutes after it clicked shut. The fluorescent lights running along the ceiling made the whiteness of her surroundings seem surreal. It clashed starkly with the dark windows- was it really that late? She stared at the window pane a moment more before turning from the familiar ward and heading back out, feeling defeated.

She didn't look at the lady at the desk on her way out. As the automatic doors of the hospital lobby slid open, biting cold wind rushed in, blowing golden locks of her pigtails astray. She pulled the ends of her sweater over her fingers and crossed her arms for warmth, walking out into the cloudy twilight.

Wandering in a daze again, Miyako found herself at the park. The wind had abated some, but it was still cloudy and the streetlamps were flickering on in the early dark. It looked like it was going to rain, but Miyako didn't care; she felt like her world had shattered. She and Takaaki had been such good friends, and now they had yelled at each other. Maybe she _had_ been insensitive in asking him… but wouldn't her asking also show her devotion to him? She didn't much feel like staying devoted now, after he had accused her of trying to bring him down. Couldn't he see that it was hard for her, too? She was so confused about her feelings. What was she going to do about the dance now? After that fight, she didn't feel like going at all.

Slowly, rain began to drop from the sky. It picked up as she trudged through the fallen leaves to the lonely bench atop the hill. Sitting down, the numbness in her chest melted into pain as her memory was flooded with images of when she had met Takaaki, when he had smiled at her and protected her; when she had called him "Taka-chan". Her heart heaved as she cried, her salty tears mixing with the freezing raindrops falling around her.

/ end ch 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 3 –

They were together so much, all three of them, that with Miyako missing, it was almost awkward between Momoko and Kaoru- especially since the latter was still troubled by words of the former. But apparently any tension was imagined by Kaoru, as Momoko went on babbling like normal as they loitered around in the Kintoki shop after the blonde's departure. Kaoru sipped on her drink absently until she was able to take advantage of a lull in the conversation.

"Hey, Momoko?"

"Mm?"

_Yesterday when you said I was jealous, did you mean I was jealous of the boys, or what?_ "What're we gonna do about the dance next weekend? I mean, Miyako won't have any trouble finding a date, but what about us?"

"Hmm, I don't know…" Momoko cradled her head in her hands. "I guess I could always ask Sakamoto…" The two girls stared at each other for a moment. "…If I get that desperate!" she laughed.

"Hopefully it won't come to that!"

"Yeah! Hey, why are you asking? Did you change your mind about dances being dumb?" she teased, grinning knowingly at Kaoru.

"Well, it's just difficult. It'd be easier if we all went without dates as friends, but if Miyako accepts someone, then we'd have to get dates ourselves. And I can't see that happening any time soon," she said flatly.

"Yeah…" Another lull. "Hey, you think some upperclassmen would take us?" Kaoru just looked at her.

"_Us?_"

Momoko laughed off her delusion as Sakurako came by to pick up their plates. The spectacled girl looked out the window thoughtfully. "It's so cloudy today. Looks like it's going to rain."

"Wow, it does. I'd better get home." Momoko jumped off her stool. "Thanks for the snacks, Sakurako-chan! It was delicious!"

"Yeah, thanks," Kaoru echoed. Sakurako smiled.

"My pleasure. Take care!"

"You, too," the girls called out as they left the shop. Kaoru bid goodbye to Momoko and decided to wander around for a bit. She didn't mind the rain, and she wanted to think some more.

So she had chickened out of asking Momoko what she meant. Then again, the answer was obvious- why would she suspect that she liked Miyako? She stuffed her hands into her pocked as the wind picked up and chewed on her bottom lip. The thought of Miyako brought up a well of soft, warm feelings that ran through her despite the cloudy autumn evening. She pushed aside any shock or embarrassment and reveled in it. It felt so nice- much different from how she had felt for that one guy she had liked (what was his name? Kaoru couldn't remember).

She wandered along the empty streets until she was roused from her thoughts by rain splashing on the bridge of her nose. Cursing, she started to run the dark, heading for the shortcut through the park.

As she passed the fountain, a soft wail cut through the pattering rain and stopped Kaoru in her tracks. Following the heart-wrenching sobs, she jogged up the steps in the hill, nearly tripping as she reached the top. Sitting on a bench, crying her eyes out, was a drenched Miyako.

For a while, Kaoru couldn't move, couldn't think- could only gape at the figure doubled over, head in hands and elbows on knees, the whole shaking with sobs. Kaoru had never seen smiling, bubbly Miyako like this before; she looked heartbroken.

Kaoru's heart burst with empathy. Overcome by a need to stop her tears, she crossed over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Miyako looked up; her sopping curls stuck to her face, she shook from chill and from crying, and her baby-blue eyes shone with tears. Despite her shock from seeing Kaoru standing before her like this, her lip trembled. Kaoru sat down beside the girl and pulled her close, resting Miyako's head on her shoulder.

Kaoru's body was warm, despite the freezing rain; her arms were so strong, yet so gentle, like her touch promised to protect the blonde always. After feeling her entire world crumble beneath her, Miyako found herself yearning for the sense of safety Kaoru was offering her. She wrapped her arms around her friend's back, leaning into her, and succumbed to a good cry as Kaoru stroked her wet hair as the rain fell around them.

Gradually, Miyako's sobs subsided, and she sniffled into Kaoru's shoulder. She sat there a moment more, not wanting to leave the comfort of Kaoru's embrace.

"…Thank you," she whispered against Kaoru's neck.

"'Welcome," Kaoru replied softly, flushing from Miyako's breath against her skin. They broke apart at last, Miyako wiping her eyes and Kaoru staring at the ground nervously, both missing each other's warmth. There was silence between them for a minute.

"Takaaki and I got in a fight. He accused me of trying to make him feel bad by telling him about the dance," Miyako explained.

"Oh."

"He… said I was insensitive, and maybe I was… but wouldn't my asking mean that I care enough to consider his feelings before going with someone else?" She sighed. " I don't know…"

What was Kaoru supposed to say to that? "You know how he gets cranky about being in the hospital."

"Yeah…" Miyako leaned back, crossing her feet out in front of her. "I guess it was just a bad day."

"You didn't… break up with him, or anything… did you?"

"We were never officially a couple."

"Oh." Kaoru flushed again, this time from excitement. Why did she feel so happy, so hopeful hearing that from her? Her heart fluttered.

"Sometimes I wonder if he even thinks of me as anything more than a childhood friend…" She glanced at Kaoru, smiling softly. "But these are my problems."

_You'd be surprised_, Kaoru thought. She kicked at a pebble. "So… what _are_ you doing for the dance?"

"I wish I knew. I was considering not going at all after what happened…"

"Aw, you have to go! Go with me! –And Momoko," she quickly amended. "We'll all go together; forget stupid dates." Miyako smiled at her.

"Okay!" Kaoru's heart skipped from the radiance of her sudden smile, and she couldn't keep a smile from gracing her own lips. They kept smiling at each other until Miyako looked up.

"Oh, it stopped raining."

Kaoru stood. "You'd better get home before your grandmother starts to worry."

"Nn," Miyako assented. She clutched at her drenched sweater, trying to coax it into warming her. A black mass suddenly hung before her eyes as Kaoru peeled off her own jacket and thrust it towards the other girl.

"It's wet, but it'll block the wind." Miyako slipped it over her shoulders. It was heavy from the water, but it did stop the biting wind.

"Thanks…" Kaoru's hand was still outstretched. Miyako started as she realized it was meant for her. She grabbed it and Kaoru helped her to her feet. Kaoru turned away and started down the hill, slowly letting her fingers slip away from Miyako's. She desperately wanted to clasp the girl's hand with her own, and the ferocity of the feeling made her cheeks burn. She waited at the foot of the hill for Miyako, who was a few steps behind her, before walking beside her friend. Neither of them looked at each other as they made their way to the Gotokuji home.

Passing through the gate, they stopped in the shadow cast by the fence. Miyako turned to thank Kaoru, but she couldn't find the courage to look her in the eye. Staring at the tip of her friend's sneaker, she realized that even seeing that much of her made her heart light and airy.

Kaoru began to look up, expecting Miyako's eyes on her own, but she saw her knees drawn in, her fingers fidgeting with the end of her shirt, and finally her nervous half-smile and downcast eyes.

"Thank you… for everything," she said softly. Kaoru was transfixed by her voice.

"Anytime." Miyako's eyes lifted to hers, and Kaoru gave her a small but reassuring smile. Miyako smiled back, an absent look in her eyes.

"Prince Charming…"

"Eh?"

Miyako started a bit. "I-I was just thinking about how much you were like a prince rescuing me, like in a fairytale…" Her voice trailed off. She must have sounded so childish. Kaoru smiled.

"Yeah, that's me." She laughed softly. It was Miyako's turn to be enraptured. Kaoru looked away again, fidgeting with the rims of her pockets.

"So… I'll see you at school tomorrow."

They looked at each other fleetingly and Miyako nodded. As Kaoru turned to head to her own house, Miyako called out, "Bye… Kaoru-chan."

Kaoru looked back, grinning ecstatically. "See ya!"

Miyako watched as the dark figure faded in and out of the streetlights, growing ever smaller. The front door opened to reveal her grandmother watching her concernedly.

"Who was that, Miyako?" she asked as her granddaughter entered the house, looking back into the dark street with a smile.

"My prince."

/ end ch 3


	4. Chapter 4

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 4 –

At school on Monday, the trio agreed that if no one had a date by the end of the day, they would all go as friends. As they nodded in consent, a shrill, obnoxious voice sounded from the door.

"Good morning, everyone! Your princess is come!" Himeko paraded into the room in an outlandish dress, signifying today as some self-declared special occasion. She faced the class before speaking.

"Settle down, now, settle down. I know how excited you all must be at the prospect of taking _me_, Shirogane Himeko, to the autumn dance. But only _one_ of you fine young gentlemen will have that honor, of course!" She followed this announcement with her signature laugh. The "fine young gentlemen" merely watched on, picking their noses, or ignored her altogether. This did not daunt Himeko's enthusiasm.

"No need to fall at my feet. You all will have an equal opportunity, as my maids will be conducting interviews after school to determine your eligibility."

Bubbly laughter from the back of the room caught Himeko's attention. The sight of Miyako's smiling face made her blood boil. She was Himeko's biggest rival for a good date. After such an intimidating speech given by herself, the one and only Shirogane Himeko, Miyako laughs without a care in the world? Clenching her fists, she stomped over to the blonde.

"Good morning, Miyako-san," she said, veiling her ire with a flowery voice. Miyako turned her head to acknowledge her.

"Ah, good morning, Himeko-san."

"Say, who are you going to the dance with?"

"I don't know. Masashi-san asked me this morning, but…"

"Oh, that's too bad. _I've_ got every boy in our grade lined up begging to take me!" Kaoru and Momoko looked at Himeko blankly.

"You?"

"Really?"

"YES, really! I _am_ Shirogane Himeko after all!" Kaoru twirled a finger in her ear absently.

"Yeah, yeah, we know already…"

"Why you…!"

"Alright class, let's get to our seats," Ms. Keane called out from the head of the room. Miyako smiled at Himeko.

"Well, good luck!"

Himeko shot the trio a last glare before reluctantly heading to her desk, muttering. "'Good luck' she says. Good luck my ass…" She plopped down into her chair, arms crossed, scheming up plans against an unsuspecting Miyako.

When the final bell rang, the schoolyard was practically devoid of boys- they were all being held (against their wills) in the Shirogane maids' interviews. Every now and again, one would dash out of the door, running for all his worth to get far away from those blank, staring eyes and monotonous voice. The trio watched Sakamoto's retreating back as they headed to Professor Utonium's lab.

"Poor Sakamoto-kun…" Momoko frowned at the now distant dust-cloud that was their classmate.

"He's sure going fast. What do you think they did to him?" Kaoru asked.

"Surely Himeko-san wouldn't resort to anything bad to get a date…"

Momoko looked at Miyako longwise. "Are you serious? She's _Shirogane Himeko_," she trilled, parodying her self-centered catchphrase. "No one in their right minds would go out with her!" Kaoru nodded.

"And with voice like that, I'd say he'd have to." She supplied a dead-on impression of the "rich lady laugh". Momoko and Miyako laughed, Miyako despite herself.

"Don't be mean!"

Kaoru grinned. "Hey, I'm not the one who made 'em run like that." The dust-cloud was a speck in the distance. Miyako squinted at it.

"I wonder how far they'd get going that fast?"

Momoko grabbed her head, groaning. "Aaah! Don't even say that! I _hate_ distance problems! They make _no_ sense!"

"Oh, really? I thought they were pretty ok," Kaoru said. "Here, I'll explain the notes to you."

"Ok, lemme get 'em." Momoko rummaged in her bad, and a look of shock spread across her face. "Oh no, I forgot my math book! I'll be right back!" She jogged back into the building. Kaoru and Miyako wandered over to the fence and leaned against it, watching as boys sporadically appeared from within the school. Silence hung heavy around the girls. Kaoru stared at a cloud overhead.

"So… did you get in trouble that day?"

"Not really. Grandma asked me who you were, though." Kaoru flicked her eyes toward her friend.

"She saw me?"

"She saw you talking to me. She didn't recognize you."

"Oh. That makes things a little weird. Like, some stranger was walking you home." Miyako gave a soft laugh.

"Yeah, especially since I was a little cryptic in telling her who it was." Kaoru quirked an eyebrow.

"What'd you tell her?" Miyako blushed a little and looked down. She opened her mouth mutely, but then Momoko walked up to them in a smiling, rosy-cheeked daze. The other two stared at her.

"What happened to you?" Kaoru asked her. Momoko's glittering eyes lifted to look at them.

"Guess who just asked me to the dance?"

Just then, basketball team captain Kawakami Keiichi pushed the door open, slinging his gym bag over his shoulder, and waved at Momoko. Momoko waved back, giggling like a maniac. Miyako and Kaoru still stared.

"Are they brainwashing them in there or what?" Kaoru muttered to Miyako.

"She's taking this very calmly… for Momoko." The aforementioned girl was now hanging around the fence corner to watch her date as long as possible. Leaping from her precarious position, she began to hop down the road after him, hands clasped in front of her. Kaoru grabbed her shirt.

"You jinxed her, Miyako-chan!"

"MOMOKO GOT A DATE?!" Professor Utonium, Ken and Peach stared incredulously at the lucky girl. She was bouncing on her heels in the middle of the floor, cookies in both hands, singing Keiichi's name. Miyako and Kaoru nodded. The professor, overcome with fatherly emotion, wiped away at the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Oh, you girls grow up so fast! First Miyako finds her love, and now Momoko? It's too much!"

"This goes against all possible outcomes, given her brash nature," Ken whined. "How could anyone possibly find that attractive?" Peach jumped up and down.

"Congratulations, da wan!" Momoko twirled around, still singing. It was wearing down on Kaoru's nerves.

"I thought we agreed that we'd all go as friends," she griped from the couch.

"We agreed that we'd all go as friends _if we didn't get dates_," Momoko replied, singsong.

"Well, _we_ didn't," Kaoru grumbled. Momoko giggled for what must have been the thousandth time that afternoon.

"You're just jealous 'cause I hooked a cute guy!" Kaoru stared at the wall, face blank.

"No. No, I'm not," she said flatly, softly. Miyako, perched on the back of the couch, looked pensively at her, worried by her serious tone. It wasn't like her to be this sullen. Momoko, however, took the statement much more lightly.

"Oh, that's right, Kaoru doesn't like guys!" She laughed loudly at her joke, still high from her new boy-craze. Kaoru didn't find it amusing, brow furrowing a bit. Miyako eyed her with sympathy. Ken spoke up.

"I wouldn't like guys either if I was her. The guys in your year are stupid." Momoko glared at him.

"Keiichi-senpai isn't stupid!!"

"Yes, but Keiichi isn't in your year." Momoko's anger deflated.

"Ok, so they're pretty dumb. But I got the best guy in the school!" She went back to dancing around. Ken sighed, shrugging his shoulders at Miyako.

"There's no getting to this woman." Miyako smiled at him before turning to the redhead.

"I'm really glad for you, Momoko, but I think you're being a little insensitive to the rest of us. Kaoru's right- since we don't have dates, what are we supposed to do now?" Momoko shrugged, still spinning.

"I dunno, find dates yourselves?" Kaoru stood abruptly.

"Well, I don't even want to go anymore." She strode out of the room, head down and hands in pockets. The professor, Ken, Peach, and Miyako stared as the door slammed behind her. Momoko stopped dancing at the noise.

"What's got her upset, da wan?"

Miyako hurried over to the door. Behind her, she heard Momoko scoff.

"Geez, she doesn't have to be so grouchy."

Miyako turned and glared at her before going out after Kaoru.

Spotting her already a ways down the hill, Miyako ran after her, wind pushing her back in it's blustery course. Gradually making headway, she called out to her, but her voice was swallowed by the wind. She kept calling. Finally, a wisp of sound reached Kaoru, and she looked back, hurt showing in her green eyes.

Miyako stopped in front of her, drawn into those eyes. For a minute, they just looked. The wind whipped around them.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Kaoru looked down. "…Are you jealous? That Momoko found a date?"

"No. I don't care about that." She spoke softly, and the wind carried her voice past Miyako, making her sound distant. Miyako studied her face, trying to find reasons in the knot of her brow and the curve of her lips.

"It's just… you and Momoko have people you care about, and who care about you." The wind was cold, and raised goose bumps on her skin. Or maybe it was from Kaoru's words. "And… I can't take the one I want to the dance," Kaoru finished. They stood in silence, except for the wind in their ears. Kaoru stared at the ground. She couldn't look at Miyako- if she did, she felt she would cry. "See you," she said, turning again and heading home.

Miyako watched her walk away, standing frozen to her spot on the hill. The wind seemed to hit her like a solid wall, a barrier keeping her from Kaoru. It seemed to be pushing her away.

/ end ch 4


	5. Chapter 5

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 5 –

Kaoru avoided Miyako and Momoko for the rest of the week. Momoko had interpreted it as hostility at first, but Miyako convinced her that Kaoru was depressed. It showed, too- the loud, energetic, and often belligerent girl they knew wasn't acting like herself at all. Momoko apologized to her on Wednesday, hoping to patch things up, but Kaoru reassured her she wasn't upset over her insensitivity from the other day. Miyako kept the conversation on the hillside to herself, not wanting to betray her friend's trust. Besides, as estranged as she felt right now, she knew that she had been shown a much more personal side of Kaoru. She felt sure it was meant for her eyes alone.

After enduring three days of sullen Kaoru, Miyako decided to take action. They had already tried talking to her, so Miyako headed home from school, and, after putting much thought towards her choice of words, dialed Kaoru's home phone. She checked the clock- it was a little after 4. Kaoru always walked incredibly slowly when she was depressed, and Miyako hoped she wasn't home yet. She wanted to hear from her family. After a few rings, she heard the line being picked up. It was Kaoru's older brother.

"Hello, Matsubara residence."

"Hello, this is Gotokuji Miyako, I'm a friend of Kaoru."

"Ah, yeah, Miyako! I've heard about you. But I, uh, don't think she's home yet…"

"That's okay. I wanted to ask you about her… Has she been acting strangely lately?"

"Yeah, she's been pretty down. Did something happen?"

Miyako twirled the phone cord around her finger. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Mm, really? I figured she and Momoko were fighting again, but then again, she'd have acted more angry, not dejected… It's not like her to be sad… or show it, rather."

"Well, they fought a bit, but I think it got resolved… Momoko apologized yesterday, but Kaoru said it had nothing to do with their fight."

She heard Dai clicking his tongue on the other end of the line. Her mind whirled- should she tell him what Kaoru had said on the hill? But, that was confidential. Then again, maybe he knew something more about it, some cryptic childhood memory, or something. "Does… Does Kaoru… Do you know of anyone she'd want to go to the school dance with?"

"I figured she'd just go with you guys, if at all." Dai sounded a bit surprised. " I assume Momoko's dragging her into it?"

"Well, she convinced her, yes… Kaoru actually convinced _me_ to go."

"Really? Wow, that's almost as weird as her angsting!"

"…Is there anyone she would want to go with, but can't?"

Dai was silent for a moment. Even if there was, she'd never let her brothers on to it, much less outright tell them. There was a chance she'd talk to her mom, though, if she got desperate enough.

"Not that I know of. I'm sorry I'm not much help. I'll see if mom can talk to her, ok?"

"Thank you very much."

"No problem." They said goodbye and hung up.

As Dai returned the phone to its cradle, Kaoru walked in. She still looked out of it.

"Hey, Kaoru, welcome back!"

"'M home…" she muttered. Dai frowned.

"You ok?"

She shrugged the question with a feeble "yeah", heading for her room. He heard the door close behind his little sister, and sighed. Grabbing his soccer bag from the couch, he poked his head into the kitchen where Mrs. Matsubara was putting away dishes.

"Hey, mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

Dai's voice dropped a bit. "Could you talk to Kaoru? She's been kinda down, and even Miyako called a minute ago asking about it."

"Of course," she said, turning from the sink and wiping her hands on a towel. "Is she in her room?"

"Yeah. Thanks, mom." He smiled and headed for the door. 'I'm going to practice!"

"Be back in time for supper."

"Okay!" The door banged behind him. The woman sighed, putting the towel down and making her way over cleats and helmets to her daughter's room. She knocked gently.

"Kaoru, dear?" She heard a muffled grunt in response. "May I come in?" Another grunt. She opened the door. Kaoru was sprawled face-down on her bed, bag discarded on the floor. Mrs. Matsubara sat down on a corner of the bed. "Honey, are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Kaoru mumbled into her pillow. She felt her mother's hand on her back.

"_Something_ must be upsetting you. Are you having your period?" she asked tentatively. Kaoru's face flushed.

"NO, mom!"

"I'm just worried about you. So are your brothers, and your friends." Kaoru was silent. "Did you have a fight?"

"…No… Not really. I mean, I'm not mad at Momoko anymore, and she apologized…"

"Did you forgive her?"

"Yeah… It's just…" Kaoru turned her head to face her mother, resting it on her pillow. "Ever since she found a date for the dance, she's been completely airheaded and ditzy… more so than usual. And Miyako can get a date so easily, but I'm just kinda left behind." Her voice bled with anguish at the mention of her blonde-haired friend. The hand on her back began to rub soothingly.

"You feel left out?"

"Kinda…" _That and the person I like happens to be a girl, my best friend, and really popular with guys…_

"Have you told them that?"

"No…"

"Well, I think you should. They don't mean to hurt you, but they can't help you if they don't know what's wrong."

"Yeah… ok. Thanks, mom." Her mother smiled warmly.

"You're welcome, dear. I hope you feel better soon." The bedsprings groaned as her weight left the bed. Kaoru heard footsteps and the door being closed. She sighed, burrowing her face into her pillow again.

Her mother had told her to tell them what was bothering her. There was no way she could do that. If she did, she ran the risk- the probability- of losing Miyako and Momoko as friends. Kaoru didn't think that she could stand it if that happened. In spite of herself, the Powerpuff Girls Z had come to make up the core of her world. If their bond fell apart, she didn't know what she'd do.

At the same time, she didn't think she could last much longer, suffering while Miyako smiled and dated boys and bought the lies Kaoru would have to feed her to cover up the truth. She didn't want to lie to her, but she didn't want to lose her, either.

Her mother had said that her friends were worried. Of course they were- they had no clue how she felt, or why she was acting this way. She couldn't put them through this just because she had a crush on Miyako. A stupid little crush. She decided not to let it bother her friends and bear it silently, waiting for it to go away. Crushes didn't last forever, after all. Right?

/ end ch 5


	6. Chapter 6

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 6 -

Miyako arrived at school on Friday no less concerned about Kaoru than she was yesterday. To her dismay, the phone call hadn't given her any more insight. She could only hope that whatever Kaoru's mother did to console her daughter had worked.

The moment she entered the classroom, she was assaulted with Himeko's happy chattering. She held a boy at her arm, and was showing him around to everyone in the room. Looking across the room, she saw Kaoru sitting quietly at her desk, staring out the window. She still wasn't back to normal, but she didn't look dejected. A few rows over, Momoko waved to Miyako from her seat. She headed to the back, trying to escape Himeko's notice, but the girl wheeled around and looked at her with large, glittering eyes.

"Miyako-chan! _There_ you are, I've been looking _all_ over for you!" Her voice was sugary and false. Miyako knew she only wanted to flaunt her date. She had some sort of point to prove- that she was capable of bribing a guy to go out with her, maybe? Miyako returned the radiant grin with a half-hearted smile of her own. Himeko dragged her unenthusiastic escort over.

"Have you met Hideaki-sempai? I suppose not, he's out of your league. Hideaki, this is Miyako. Miyako, Hideaki-sempai." Hideaki nodded amiably. Miyako bowed slightly.

"Nice to meet you." She shot a furtive glance at Kaoru, who was tracing circles on her desk with her finger. Himeko cleared her throat.

"So! Have _you_ managed to find someone to take you to the dance?" Miyako saw Kaoru's face fall. She straightened up to look Himeko in the eye.

"As a matter of fact, I have." Kaoru looked to the window again. All the guys in the room turned their attention to Miyako, wondering who was lucky enough to take her. Himeko wasn't amused. Her voice was dry and accusing when she spoke.

"Oh, really? Who?"

Miyako smiled confidently. "My prince." Kaoru's eyes snapped wide open. Himeko stared at her blankly.

"Your PRINCE?" she screeched. Miyako only continued smiling.

"Yes. My prince."

"You're not _really_ going with a prince!"

"Is that what you think?"

"How would _you_ know a prince?"

"Because I was blessed with one." She strode past the redhead, dropping off her bag beside a dumbstruck Momoko, and headed towards Kaoru. As she leaned against the back of the chair in front of Kaoru's desk, the room was buzzing with talk about Miyako's mysterious prince. Kaoru lifted her eyes to Miyako's smiling face, head tilted downward shyly. Miyako saw that her cheeks were flushed.

"You don't mean that," Kaoru said softly.

"That I'm going to the dance with a prince, or that I'm blessed with one?"

"Both."

"Well, I do mean it. Both." Miyako got down on her knees and rested her head in her arms on Kaoru's desk so as to get a better look at her. "I know something's been bothering you, and I've let you have your space. But maybe just doing something fun together for the heck of it would do you some good. 'Kay?" She smiled up at Kaoru, and as Kaoru looked down at her, her gaze seemed warm again for the first time since that weekend.

"'Kay," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Miyako placed a hand on Kaoru's arm.

"There's the smile I like to see." She smiled back.

Momoko walked over, eyeing Miyako, whose hand retreated as the redhead spoke. "Prince?"

Miyako sighed. "Yes."

"For real, or did you just say that to piss off Himeko?"

"For real."

"Well why don't I know about it, then," she whined. Miyako shrugged.

"The nickname is new." Momoko nodded, a sly look coming over her face, and leaned down next to her.

"So who is it? I thought 'Taka-chan' couldn't come."

"He can't. It's not him."

"Then who?" Kaoru blushed violently. Miyako only smiled knowingly to Momoko.

"It's a secret," she teased. Momoko wailed at the injustice and stomped back to her desk in mock anger. Miyako laughed at her antics as Kaoru playfully quipped something about drama queens to Momoko's retreating back. Things were pretty much back to normal now, except for the shy smile Miyako gave Kaoru as she returned to her seat. Kaoru felt sure she liked things better this way.

After being forced to help Momoko decide on a dress after school, Kaoru raced home. Miyako had said she wanted to go with her! Maybe she was reading too much into it in her high spirits, but when Miyako looked at her, it seemed as if her same feelings were reflected in those blue eyes. And Miyako was potentially blowing off all the other guys to go with her. The thought made her heart sing.

She burst through the front door with a hearty "I'm home", throwing her shoes and backpack aside and running into her room beaming. Dai sat frozen in shock from his seat in the living room. Hadn't she been depressed beyond belief yesterday, even just this morning? Maybe whatever their mom had said had worked. Still, this was a bit much on the opposite end of the spectrum, even for Kaoru. He shrugged. At least she wasn't moping anymore.

In the privacy of her room, Kaoru twirled around, jumped up, punching the air, and tumbled down on her bad. A grin was plastered on her face in barely-contained elation as she lay there reveling for a moment. She was going to the dance with Miyako. It was a dream come true, one she had thought impossible. She was going to the dance with Miyako under the guise of her prince. That meant she would have to play the part and wear a suit. Not some stupid old dress. She sniggered- she was beginning to like this idea more and more.

Kaoru began to muse on how she would protect her true identity. She didn't doubt that she could fool her normal classmates, but it was a different story with Momoko and Himeko. Momoko probably shouldn't know, since she was such a loudmouth. What would she think of her two best friends going with each other to the dance, especially since one had called the other her "prince"? Knowing Momoko, she would probably throw logic out the window and come to some blown-out conclusion. Then again, that would probably be closer to the truth than Kaoru was comfortable with. Momoko could not know.

Himeko, of course, would try her best to uncover the "prince's" identity at all costs. Her goal was to get one up on Miyako, and she apparently saw securing this information as a crucial step. If she _did_ find out Kaoru was the prince, there was no way she'd keep it to herself. Kaoru and Miyako would be known as lesbians school-wide within a single day. She frowned. She couldn't do that to Miyako, not with a reputation like that. Even if Miyako said that rumors and popularity and such didn't matter to her, she couldn't bear that it would be her fault if people bad-mouthed her. And with that gossip floating around, someone was bound to find out it was true on Kaoru's part. Then what would Miyako think?

Kaoru stood up, shaking these thoughts from her head, and began to rummage through her closet. It wouldn't be hard to find a suit, but it had to be something Momoko wouldn't recognize. Shoving hangers aside, she sighed. She didn't have many formal clothes to begin with, and she'd talked her mom into buying only a couple really masculine sets, both of which Momoko had seen. She slid the closet door and thought for a long moment. She'd have to take some of Dai's clothes, then. Surely she could wear the suits he'd outgrown. Even if they were a bit big, the large size would better hide her feminine anatomy.

At this thought, Kaoru threw a glance at the mirror She pulled her oversized shirt back, letting the now-tight cloth reveal the mounds of her developing breasts. Sticking her tongue out at the foreign reflection, she released the shirt and turned to open her door a sliver to peer out into the hall.

Dai's door was closed. Tiptoeing towards the living room, she saw that he was watching a soccer game with Shou. She glanced back to the kitchen where her mother was cooking supper before creeping back down the hallway and slipping into her brother's room. When she had closed the door safely behind her, she headed over to Dai's closet, and poked through the hangers. Any suitable clothes were too big for her, so she turned her attention to the boxes on the closet floor, half-hidden beneath knee-pads and jerseys. Digging through their contents, she pulled out a suit only slightly bigger than her size. It would actually fit her pretty well. She kicked the box back into the closet and slid the door closed. Folding up her bounty, she tucked it up her shirt and crept back out into the hall.

"Hey, Kaoru." She stopped short, looking up to see Dai coming towards her. His brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing…?"

"Nothin'," she said, trying to skitter past him. He caught her by the back of her shirt.

"What is that? Is that mine?"

Sighing, she pulled the suit out into view. "I was just taking this, 'cause Mom won't buy me anything comfortable and you can't wear it anymore," she explained hurriedly. Dai blinked at her, letting her words soak in.

"O-okay…"

The door to Kaoru's room shut in his face. He stood there for a while, chewing his lip in deep thought. This wasn't the first time she'd stolen his old clothes, Sure she'd been given a few hand-me-downs in the past, but now that she was in middle school, Mom wanted to finance her daughter's wardrobe. She was nearly obsessed with trying to get Kaoru to wear things other girls her age did, but Kaoru would have none of it. Dai couldn't blame her, though. He liked jeans and t-shirts as much as she did, and most girls' clothes just looked uncomfortable and impractical in comparison. Still… But what was he thinking? He didn't think Kaoru didn't want to be a girl, or anything… The thought was dim in the wake of his musing. He turned and headed into his room.

/ end ch 6


	7. Chapter 7

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 7-

Saturday night, flashing colored lights emanated from the gymnasium and loud bass pounded into the air. The muffled sounds of music and partying teenagers sharpened for a second as Miyako slipped out of the stuffy dance room into the parking lot. The metal doors muted the uproar the instant they clicked shut, leaving her alone in the chilly night. She could breathe freely out here, and relished the feel of the wind rustling her dress, the cloth rippling about her legs. Crickets were still audible despite the distant din.

Tiptoeing across the grass, she sat down on the curb and searched the horizon. Momoko had torn herself away from Keiichi enough to notice that Miyako's date hadn't shown yet. Overcome with eagerness to meet this "prince", she had all but hounded Miyako, until she was forced to turn her back over to Keiichi in order to slip out for a while. The blaring music and oppressive heat from so many bodies was weighing on her nerves, adding to her anxiety. She scanned the streets again.

Kaoru still wasn't there . She had called Miyako that afternoon, saying she needed time to get out of the house. Besides, if she came in a little late, people would be too busy dancing to take notice of an extra body. These words kept playing through Miyako's mind, but the dance had long since started. Where was she?

She sighed, laying her head on her knees and wrapping her arms around her legs. She shouldn't doubt Kaoru. She of all people had shown her fierce loyalty. But that didn't stop her heart from being uneasy. Maybe she had done the wrong thing, asking her to go with her. They were two girls; wasn't that a little odd? Miyako started- it wasn't like they were going on a date. They had agreed to go as friends, even if the circumstances forced Kaoru into the part of the prince. She closed her eyes, clearing her mind to the sound of cicadas, but her heart remained full of an emotion she couldn't quite define.

A voice cut through the silence. "Miss me?"

Miyako looked up to see Kaoru- it had to be Kaoru- in a black suit. She had mussed her hair up to look more masculine, and had either worn her clothes loosely, restrained her breasts with cloth, or both. She really looked like a boy, but to Miyako, her shining eyes still held that Kaoru quality. She smiled sheepishly down at the blonde.

"Sorry to keep you waiting…" Her soft cheeks were tinged with pink. Miyako felt color creep into her own face.

"It's okay. I needed to step out for a bit anyway." She stood, brushing gravel off the back of her dress, and glanced back at the gym doors. "…They're looking for you."

"I can imagine."

Miyako smiled. "The suspense even got Momoko to take her eyes off of Keiichi-senpai."

"Wow, it's that bad?"

"I guess it's a really big deal to them," Miyako shrugged.

Kaoru mumbled something that sounded like "yeah", and stuffed her hands in her pockets. She looked off somewhere in the distance.

"Y-You look pretty. Your dress brings out your eyes." She stumbled over the sentence, but her voice was soft and sincere, if not nervous. Miyako's heart fluttered at the sudden compliment, and she knotted some of the dress's material in her fingers. Kaoru was right- the pale blue fabric made her eyes sparkle and her hair seem all the more golden.

"Thanks…" She looked shyly at Kaoru. "You look handsome yourself." Kaoru chuckled. Miyako reached out and grabbed Kaoru's hand, smiling.

"Come on, Prince Charming. Shall we make our entrance?"

Inside, Himeko weaved her way through the crowd. She had been able to keep her date by her side for a while, but had finally let him go for a bit in favor of searching for Miyako and her elusive "prince". She scowled at the thought. Who did she think she was, announcing something like that in front of the whole class? She had to be lying, she had to be. Most people thought the term "prince" was just a nickname, some claimed Momoko as the source of this information. It definitely sounded a lot more likely than the alternative.

So, then, who _was_ the prince? It was a tantalizing circle of rumor and speculation, and it had lodged itself in Himeko's brain. She scoured the mob hungrily, looking for the telltale wisps of gold hair. Suddenly, she saw them streak between two people a little ways off. Locking her vision on the bouncing curls, she pushed her way across the dance floor.

"Miyako-chan!" She called over the music. The blonde turned to see Himeko making a beeline for them, and only barely caught herself from showing her dread and annoyance at the sight. Her hand tightened on Kaoru's, who followed her gaze and groaned. Himeko stood in front of Kaoru and made no effort to conceal her inspection of the long awaited prince. Her eyes travelled up and down the figure before her. At least he was cute, Himeko gave him that much.

"Well, if it isn't the beloved prince!" Her voice was more vexing than ever before, and grated on Kaoru's nerves. "I'm sorry to say I haven't heard much about you, Miyako-chan's been so awfully secretive." She looked Miyako, her gaze approaching accusation. Kaoru took a deep breath and reminded herself she had to play the prince's part. She had to fool Himeko- Miyako was at stake. Beating down her temper, she looked her coolly in the eyes.

"Oh, has she? This whole thing came up so suddenly, I'm surprised she's had any time lately, between arranging the guest forms and securing tickets and whatnot." Her voice was surprisingly smooth and genteel, and left all three of them shocked. Himeko blinked stupidly.

"Oh, y-yes, I suppose that's true." She studied his face with awe. This person was unlike anyone at school. Didn't he say something about guest forms? Yes, that's it, he's from another school. Where did this guy come from?

Miyako recovered first. "Himeko-san, this is my prince; Oji-chan, this is Himeko-san."

"A pleasure." Kaoru took Himeko's hand and kissed it lightly. The redhead all but died that instant. Kaoru smirked inwardly. Just flirt with her a little, play the gentleman card, and she was putty in the palm of her hand. Himeko's brain sputtered back to life.

"N-N-No, the pleasure's all mine!" She giggled moronically. Kaoru forced herself keep irritation from showing in her smile. Miyako, suddenly overcome with a pang of jealousy, twined her arms around Kaoru's, looking up pleadingly into her eyes.

"Hey, Oji-chan, don't you like this song?" The music had changed from a bouncy dance song to a slower number, chimes and mellifluous vocals floating through the air. Kaoru was mystified by Miyako's touch for a second before responding.

"Y-yeah." She looked down lovingly into her eyes, letting a little of her true feelings seep into her gaze. "Would you care to dance?"

Miyako smiled. "I'd love to."

Kaoru led her towards the dance floor, so engrossed in Miyako that she had to throw a fleeting glance back at Himeko to shout some belated parting words. Himeko watched them until they melted into the shifting crowd, her hand still raised tentatively from when it had been kissed. It's not fair that Miyako was dating a guy like him.

I_ want to date him_.

Filing through the crowd hand-in-hand, Kaoru and Miyako noticed someone waving at them. Momoko was a little ways away, clinging to Keiichi.

"Miyako! Is that him? He's cute!"

Kaoru smiled hastily at Momoko. She had been in awkward situations before, but having one of your best friends unknowingly call you cute whilst in the guise of a young man took the cake. She dragged Miyako deeper into the crowd, coming to rest in a gap big enough for the two to dance.

Her heart sped up, nervous about both dancing with Miyako and dancing in and of itself- it was never one of her strong points. Miyako came to her rescue, wrapping her arms around her neck so that it was more natural for Kaoru's hands to rest hesitantly on her hips. She glanced furtively at Miyako as the girl began to sway lightly to the music. A woman's voice crooned out of the speakers.

_ The summer rain that started to fall gently streaked past my tears. These images resemble my memories- autumn's drama reruns._

Miyako was hyper-aware of her arms on Kaoru's sturdy shoulders, of Kaoru's hands on her waist. She didn't know why she was so nervous; it was just Kaoru. _It's just Kaoru…_ she told herself over and over. Her heart still fluttered and her cheeks still flushed. She bowed her head, leaning forward to hide her blush.

_Falling in love, giving it everything with a wish that this is the last heartbreak; Even the cherry tree, swaying through time, will eventually blossom._The lyrics filling the room were making Kaoru uneasy. She was dancing with Miyako, practically on a date with her, and the DJ decided to play a love song. Miyako's head was resting against her shoulder, blonde strands tickling her cheek. She couldn't help but drink in her scent. In a flash of boldness, Kaoru nuzzled her cheek against the top of Miyako's head. She responded by leaning her face beside Kaoru's neck, closing her eyes. She let the music and Kaoru's warmth lull her. Their embrace reminded her of that day in the park, when Kaoru had found her crying in the rain. It was so sweet of Kaoru to comfort her like that, just holding her… like she was now. A smile spread across Miyako's lips; she couldn't help it. Kaoru must seem like just a rough-and-tumble tomboy to everyone else, but she knew how she could be gentle. Kaoru was kind and loyal. Kaoru was… precious. Miyako settled on that word; it made her heart leap. Kaoru was precious to her. _I love you, I love you, I can't help it…_The music faded, and couples began to break apart, nervous from their proximity in the wake of the song. Kaoru sighed, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. Miyako looked up at her, her hands sliding down Kaoru's arms. Kaoru didn't know what to do, so she smiled. Miyako smiled back, and suddenly leaned forward, hugging her date tightly. Kaoru's breath caught in her throat, and she was stunned for a second before hastily hugging her back. The feel of Miyako pressed against her was amazing. Miyako's voice breezed into her ear. "Thanks for coming." "Thanks for asking me." Miyako broke away, and smiled up at her again. Kaoru stared into her eyes. The desire to kiss her washed over her. _No, I can't, I can't…_ She looked away, letting her hands fall from Miyako's back and stepping back. "I-I'd better go. People'll notice." "Yeah…" Kaoru's gaze wavered between Miyako and the some point in crowd several times. Another song started up, and the dance floor began to fill again. Miyako grabbed Kaoru's hand and nodded toward the door. They picked a way through the throngs of people. Outside again, they took long breaths of fresh air, and let the wind cool them. Miyako's fingers slipped out of Kaoru's, and she turned to face her. "I really am glad you came." "Me, too." "It's good to see you happy again." Kaoru looked at her in mild surprise, but then remembered that Miyako had asked her to go because she had been acting down. If only she knew she had been depressed because she wanted to go to the dance with her. The whole thing seemed laughably ironic now. She chuckled, smiling back at Miyako. The urge to kiss her returned. She blushed, looking away. "Well, thanks for tonight… I enjoyed it." _More than you know._ "So did I. Too bad it was so short." "Maybe some… other time…" Kaoru bit her lip- why did she have to say that? Miyako smiled. "I'd like that," she said softly. Her words seemed to soothe Kaoru, as she relaxed a bit. _She's so cute_, Miyako thought, a bit surprised at herself as she thought it. "Do you want me to walk you back?" "I'd love you to, but you'd better not. Grandma might see you again, and she thinks I went alone." "Oh, ok. I, uh… I guess I'll go, then." She let out a short, nervous laugh. Miyako did the same, looking at the grass. "Yeah. Bye." "Bye." Kaoru took a breath, as if to say something else, but turned around and walked away. Miyako looked up to watch her leave, breathless. The whole night was exhilarating, even if they only danced once. She was confused with herself. Dancing with her friend shouldn't be so much of a deal, but her heart was still pounding and she couldn't get Kaoru out of her mind. Why was she acting like this? She sighed, staring into the distance thoughtfully.

_I haven't felt this way since Takaaki…_

/ end ch 7


	8. Chapter 8

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 8-

Sunday afternoon found the girls hanging out at Professor Utonium's lab as usual. They were sprawled over the couch, half-watching television and half-talking amongst themselves. Their moods were unusually high, each still elated from the dance. Miyako and Kaoru kept glancing at each other, beaming, while Momoko babbled on and off about Keichii.

"Hey, so, Miyako…" Momoko grinned at her. "_He_ finally showed up, huh?" Miyako blushed, unable to keep a smile off her face.

"Yes, _he_ did." She and Kaoru suppressed giggles. Momoko wiggled closer to Miyako.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Wonderfully. Very wonderfully." Miyako's gaze flitted over to Kaoru.

"Man, too bad I missed it..." Kaoru's voice was high and strained to sound normal despite her heart in her throat.

"Too bad," Miyako sang back.

"Where were you last night?" Momoko asked.

"Eh, home." Kaoru's attention feigned towards the television screen.

"Aw, that's no fun. The dance was, though!"

"I'm sure Kaoru had a good time, too, Momoko." Miyako felt a rush from saying Kaoru's name. It was almost scary how much fun it was. She chalked it up to the thrill of their secrecy. Momoko's voice broke through her thoughts.

"So, are you ever going to tell me who this prince is?" Miyako flushed, her tongue tied.

"I-I…well…"

"If she doesn't want to tell you who it is, then don't try to make her," Kaoru said, fidgeting with the remote.

"Who said she didn't want to tell me who it is?"

"Who said she _did _want to?"

Momoko turned to the blonde. "Do you?"

"It's… complicated." Her voice wavered uncertainly. She, too, pretended to watch TV. "I don't know." Momoko slumped back into the cushions, unsatisfied.

"Don't _you _want to know who it is, Kaoru?"

"No."

"You _don't_? Don't you care?"

"I-- well-- I-it's none of our business if she doesn't want to say," Kaoru flustered.

Momoko huffed. "I bet you know who it is." Kaoru turned beet red.

"How would I know?! I wasn't even there, remember?!"

"Okay, okay, I was calling your bluff, you don't have to yell!" Momoko covered her ears. Kaoru muttered an apology, and Miyako laughed it off, breaking the tension. Finally, Momoko let it drop, and they spent the rest of the afternoon watching various shows. As the evening wore on, Professor Utonium wandered into the living room.

"Girls, you're still here? It's getting late."

Momoko jumped up. "Ahh! And we have guests over for dinner tonight!" She ran to the door, and stopped abruptly. "Wait, duh!" A transformation later, she stood at the edge of the second-story balcony. "It's so good to be able to fly! See ya," she called as she fell from the ledge, reappearing as pink streaking across the sky. Professor Utonium smiled.

"Energetic as always, huh?"

"You mean hyperactive," Kaoru joked. Her audience laughed. Miyako smiled up at the Professor.

"I'd better go, as well."

"Cool, I'll walk you home. C-can I?" Kaoru quickly added. Miyako turned her smile to the other girl, her heart floating at the prospect.

"Of course you can."

Kaoru gazed at Miyako for a moment. "Cool," she replied absently. Professor Utonium broke the small silence that followed.

"So, I'll see you girls later." Both of them beamed back at him.

"Bye!" they called, shutting the door behind them.

The professor walked towards the windows, and peered down at the two as they walked home, talking and joking and laughing. They looked like they were flirting. He stopped his thoughts, and almost wanted to reprimand himself. What was he thinking? Maybe it looked that way to him because he was a guy and had obviously never experienced being a teenage girl. He had seen Miyako and Momoko do almost the same thing, and he didn't question anything about that.

Was it because Kaoru was such a tomboy? It seemed a little unfair, assuming that was the reason. Was it because of their exchange just moments before? He didn't want to think about that now- surely he was just tired and overwhelmed by noticing his girls growing up.

_His girls_. He almost snickered. Since when had they become his? He let his mind wander, thinking about nothing in particular, but was still troubled enough not to notice the sun sinking ever lower.

In the twilight-flushed streets, Kaoru and Miyako approached the Gotokuji home. They came to a stop outside the fence, and a silence fell over them.

"Thanks again for walking me home," Miyako said warmly. "You really are a prince." Kaoru shuffled her feet.

"You can drop the whole prince thing, now that it's over." There was silence for a moment.

"You said there would be a next time, because it was so short." Kaoru glanced up at her voice. She looked a little crestfallen.

"W-well, there can be, if you want to."

Miyako looked straight at her. "Do _you_ want there to be a next time?"

Kaoru looked at Miyako. "Yes."

Their gaze was intense. Finally Kaoru broke it, glancing down the empty street and shoving her hands into her pockets, a nervous habit.

"Miyako…" She had that troubled look from before the dance about her again. "Miyako… I do want to, it's just…" She turned away. Miyako stepped forward, a hand hovering over the other girl's shoulder.

"It's just, what?" Her hand rested on the round of her shoulder. Kaoru's voice broke.

"You don't know how much…I want to…" Her words were heavy and slurred, like she was talking through tears. Miyako's heart bled. There was a gaspy breath. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

Kaoru turned back around, stepping away to let Miyako's hand fall from her shoulder. Her lips trembled and her green eyes swam with unshed tears.

"I like you." Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper. As they stood in silence, Kaoru's body shook from attempting to breathe normally, refusing to sob. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be sorry," Miyako soothed. She looked into her wet emerald eyes, glistening in the dusk. "It's okay." Out of impulse and sympathy, she grabbed Kaoru's hand, twining her fingers with her own. Her eyes never left Kaoru's. She felt herself willing to give up her heart to make her happy again. It was overpowering; it felt so right.

"Oh, God, Kaoru…" Miyako looked at her seriously, baring her soul. "I think… I like you, too."

Kaoru's eyes grew wide. "Miyako… I _like_ you." She waited for the moment Miyako would realize her implications. Miyako's gaze didn't falter.

"I know."

Kaoru stood dumbstruck, breaths still choked. Tears began to leak out, trailing down her cheeks. Miyako wiped them away with her free hand and stepped into Kaoru's arms, holding her. Kaoru wrapped her arms around her, letting herself cry softly into Miyako's shoulder. Miyako petted her hair, whispering comforts into her ear.

After a short while, Kaoru took a deep breath to steady herself, and picked her head up. Miyako stepped back, still holding her tenderly. Kaoru sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Man, some kind of prince I am." She laughed nervously. Miyako smiled.

"You're _my_ prince. Right?" Kaoru smiled back, nodding. She pulled Miyako close again, and they hugged tightly. They reveled in the feel of each other. Miyako sighed. "Yes, I'm your prince," Kaoru said in the fabricated voice she used on Himeko. They laughed and stepped apart again. Miyako grabbed both Kaoru's hands and held them in front of her, blushing.

"So… girlfriends?" Her heart jumped to her throat saying it. Kaoru turned red, her heart thumping madly at Miyako's question. She broke into an emphatic smile.

"Girlfriends." They kept smiling at each other until they dissolved into giggles. "Never thought I'd say that to you."

"Is that what had you so upset?"

Kaoru's smile turned sheepish. "Yeah…"

"Aww, I'm sorry… It must have been awful."

"Mm," Kaoru grunted. "…I'm okay now."

"I'm glad." Miyako swung their arms side to side. "…You know, I wouldn't have hated you."

"I didn't want to risk it." She grinned. "I can't believe this… That we're…" She look up at Miyako uncertainly. "Are you sure…?"

Miyako squeezed her hands. "I'm sure. Very sure." She laughed at Kaoru's red face. "You're so cute when you're shy!"

This time Kaoru swung their hands, laughing wryly, but still grinning. "So… girlfriends, like we like each other, like going out, like…"

"Like being lesbian. Yes. Girlfriends. I like you," Miyako repeated. They smiled at each other again. Tears pricked Kaoru's eyes again, and she swore under her breath, letting go of Miyako's hands to wipe them away.

"You're making me cry again." They laughed. "I'm so happy…"

"Me, too."

Cicadas began to chirp, their calls scratching through the air. Miyako suddenly noticed how late it had gotten; the sun was almost completely set. "You'd better get home."

"Oh, yeah…"

"Be careful."

Kaoru chuckled. "I'll slay you a dragon on the way home, okay?" Miyako laughed.

"Don't overdo yourself, Oji-san!" Kaoru waved a hand trivially over her shoulder, turning to walk away. They called out goodbyes, and Miyako headed inside. Kaoru ran all the way home, even more elated than she had been coming home Friday afternoon.

Miyako was hers!

/end ch 8


	9. Chapter 9

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 9-

Trees and street signs whizzed past the tinted limousine window, but the girl inside paid the blurry images no mind. Himeko's eyes stared distantly at the floor as she stroked the cat in her lap. That mystery man, Miyako's "prince", was on her mind. She hadn't been able to think about much else ever sine their first meeting at the fall dance that weekend. Who _was_ he, and where did he come from? It wasn't fair that Miyako knew a guy like him. As curious as she was, she couldn't bring herself to ask her blond nemesis- even the thought was demeaning.

Himeko sighed. She wanted to know. Maybe there was a way to get information out of her indirectly. But surely it was going to be the talk of the class, so there wasn't much need to worry. She looked at her dim reflection in the window and smirked. Of course she would get what she wanted. She always did.

By the time she reached the classroom, Himeko had several plans worked up. She would not lose to Miyako. She scanned the room, eyes falling quickly on Miyako, surrounded by Momoko and Kaoru as usual. Allowing herself a small, malicious grin, she headed towards her locker in the back of the room, cutting close enough to the trio to eavesdrop.

"So, Sakurako just got some new flavors in. We should go check it out," Momoko was saying. Kaoru whined.

"We always go there, though. Can't we go somewhere else?"

Himeko perked up at Miyako's voice. "You're just saying that because you can't watch sports at the Kintoki shop."

"Well… yeah," Kaoru admitted sheepishly, followed by the other two's laughter. Himeko slammed her locker door shut, irritated by their small talk. She'd have to try a different tactic before her patience wore thin.

After class ended, Himeko cornered Fumika and whispered in her ear. Fumika nodded, and pulled Miyako aside. Himeko watched from a distance.

"Hello, Miyako-chan! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good, thanks."

"Wonderful! Say, you were at the dance last Saturday, yes?"

"Yes…" Miyako eyed her with guarded caution.

"I thought so! Everyone was talking about your date! Who was he, anyway?"

Miyako smiled sympathetically, preparing to let her down. It was so tiring how everyone kept asking her that. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that."

"What? Why not?"

"It's none of your business," Miyako explained sweetly, excusing herself from the conversation.

Himeko, a few rows away, whacked her forehead against a desktop. She should have known that wouldn't have worked. Oh, well, third time's a charm, right? _Better be…_

Lunch time rolled around, and students began to trickle out into the hallways and courtyards in search of friends and food. Himeko stood alone in the classroom, chewing her lip in thought. Directly asking Miyako didn't work, and neither did eavesdropping. But what other choice did she have? She pouted determinedly. Desperate times called for desperate measures. She would have to tail Miyako until she spilled the beans. Momoko had to pry it out of her _sometime_. Himeko laughed dryly. Who'd have thought she would have to rely on Momoko? This time, such thoughts didn't deter her. Mind made up, Himeko headed out of the room to look for Miyako.

She found her with Kaoru, walking down the hall towards the classroom. Scurrying around the corner, she waited for them to enter the room before pressing against the door, looking though the window. The voices from inside were only slightly muffled, and Himeko was able to hear them talking fairly well. They retrieved their lunches from their lockers and sat down around Kaoru's desk by the windows to eat.

"Man, it's kinda annoying how Momoko ditched us for fawning over Keiichi," Kaoru said through bites of apple.

"Well, at least it leaves us alone."

Kaoru blushed, swallowing hastily. She mumbled something Himeko didn't quite catch. Miyako smiled at whatever it was. Kaoru took a breath, hesitating.

"I'm not trying to doubt you, but… I just…" She laughed nervously. "It's still really hard to wrap my head around this whole situation."

"For someone who wanted this so much, you seem really hesitant."

"Can you blame me? It's like a dream come true… And I almost trick myself into thinking it _is_ just a dream."

Silence fell between them, and they ate thoughtfully during the lull. Himeko felt the lack of noise closing in on her, hypersensitive to distant footsteps and laughs. Kaoru's voice brought her attention back.

"Why did you ask me out? I mean, you never really struck me as… I mean, there was Takaaki, and it's so sudden and…" Kaoru flushed. Miyako looked out the window. A highly confused Himeko cursed the angle, she couldn't see her face. What was she thinking right now? What the heck was Kaoru talking about, "ask me out"?

"I've always admired Kaoru," Miyako began gently. Himeko strained her ears to catch all the words. "Even before Powerpuff Girls Z. I told you that when I first met you." Miyako turned back to look a Kaoru. "There's just something about Kaoru that I really, really like."

Now Miyako's cheeks were tinged with pink. Himeko was standing on tip-toes. This conversation had gone from confusing to approaching scandalous in about two seconds. She was riveted.

"I know it seems a little sudden, me just agreeing to go out with you like I did, but… it was actually a little premeditated." Kaoru looked at her, slightly shocked. Miyako continued with a little laugh. "Ever since we went to the dance together… I kept thinking about you… it was…" Miyako's eyes flitted upward shyly. "You really are a prince to me."

Himeko nearly died on the spot. She had admitted to going to the dance with Kaoru, and had called Kaoru her prince. But that meant… _Matsubara Kaoru_ was the charming prince, the sweet young man from the dance?!

Miyako's voice barely registered in Himeko's mind. "I really do like you, Kaoru. You're loyal, and brave, and strong, and yet kind and loving, with a strong sense of justice."

Kaoru smiled. "That _does_ sound like a prince, huh?" Miyako smiled warmly and took Kaoru's hand in hers, looking into her eyes.

"I don't mind that we're both girls for a second. Love is love. And I love you."

"I love you, too." Kaoru's voice was softer than Himeko had ever thought possible. So was her gaze, and her smile, and everything about her, actually. Even from across the room, Himeko could see: it was the same demeanor as the prince. Suddenly, Kaoru laughed.

"Now I feel kinda bad, cause I had always thought of you as some ditz before, and now you're saying all these things to me… I thought you were nice, though. And not annoying like Momoko."

"Don't go talking bad about Momoko just because she's not here," Miyako chided playfully. Kaoru grinned briefly, soon opting for a more serious expression.

"I'm sorry I thought that about you. You're really not like that, and I know that know. You're so caring and sweet, and you always put others before yourself, and…" Kaoru stared absently at her for a moment, before grinning slyly. "Flattery party."

Miyako giggled for quite a while at the deadpan comment. "I love how you can break up such a romantic moment with two words!" Kaoru shrugged.

"It's a gift. Besides, if I tried to stay that sentimental for too long, I'd probably explode."

"Don't do that! Then what will I do without you?"

"Die and meet me in heaven." She chuckled. "No, but really… you're great, and… I'm really lucky that you'd go out with me. I can't believe that we're really going out…!"

"Well, you'd better start believing soon, or…"

Kaoru cocked an eyebrow. "Or..?" Miyako blushed.

"Or we can't do couple stuff… like kissing…" Her voice dropped away. Kaoru's face flooded red.

"You'd… want to do that…?"

"Yes. Kaoru…" Miyako sighed. "What if I really do like girls?"

"Every guy in this school would hang himself. And I would do a jig."

"I'd like to see that…"

Kaoru gulped. "…I'm believing…" Miyako smiled knowingly, and stood up, pulling Kaoru to her feet as well. They stood hand-in-hand for a while, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air. This was the defining moment of their all-too-young relationship. They would be kissing one of their best friends. Both girls' hearts beat madly in their chests.

Licking her lips slightly, Kaoru leaned forward slowly. Miyako closed her eyes in anticipation, and leaned in herself. Their lips met softly, tentatively, and it blew both girls' minds. Kaoru pressed her lips against Miyako's, who responded similarly. They broke apart just as slowly as they came together, their breaths caught in their throats and their faces flushed. They looked at each other for a moment before Kaoru leaned forward to kiss Miyako again.

Himeko pushed away from the door forcefully, stumbling backwards a bit. Her face was stricken with disbelief. How could what she had just witnessed be real…? But it was burned into her mind. She turned and walked stiffly down the hall and into the cafeteria. Fumika and Hanayo came up to her.

"There you are, Himeko! …What's wrong?"

"Did you find out who the prince is?"

Himeko stared blankly ahead, those images still flashing in her cringing mind. "Yes. I did."

/end ch 9


	10. Chapter 10

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 10-

Things were looking good Tuesday morning as Kaoru walked to school. The sun was shining, the weather was fair, and everything looked to be going her way.

That was, until she saw Miyako's grave face as she entered the classroom. Momoko hovered behind her, asking questions that fell on deaf ears. Kaoru's smile faded.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Himeko." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "She's saying she knows who the prince is."

"…That's bull. She can't. She has to be bluffing," Kaoru said gruffly.

"That's what I've been saying," Momoko interjected. "How can _she_ know who the prince is, but not me? I mean, we're best friends!"

"I don't know, Kaoru. I don't know," Miyako said, ignoring Momoko.

"Well, she hasn't said much yet. If she really knew, she'd want to get it out as soon as possible, right?" Kaoru and Miyako headed over to their seats, with Momoko trailing behind.

"I guess…" Miyako clutched her books to her chest.

"Look, don't worry about it. If she sees you wigging out, she'll think she's won. And she hasn't yet." Even as she spoke these words, Kaoru's eyes belied her voice's boldness. Miyako smiled, trying to give a little encouragement to both of them.

"You're right."

Momoko laid a hand on Miyako's shoulder in comfort. "There's no way she knows who he is. He was only seen at the dance by a couple people, and even if Himeko has all these connections, she could never have pinpointed him so soon."

"Yeah… Thanks." She turned to smile at Momoko, and saw her classmates whispering in throngs, watching her every move. The sight made her heart sink like a rock into her stomach.

Kaoru, meanwhile, was eyeing Himeko. "That's odd… I thought she'd be all up in Miyako's face about it by now. You know?"

"Yeah, that is funny," Momoko agreed, looking at Himeko as well. She was surrounded by a group of people pleading to know the identity of the prince. She seemed to be waving them off, probably to build tension until the last second. She glanced fleetingly at Miyako, her gaze cold and blank. It was unlike any other glare Miyako had ever gotten from the redhead, and it unsettled her.

She didn't have much time to think on it, though, as Ms. Keane came in and broke up the chitchat for class.

Both Miyako and Himeko had difficulty following the lesson that day. They were deep in thought; Miyako worried about her fledgling relationship with Kaoru being exposed and ridiculed, if not shut down altogether by their parents. Even though they had only been a couple for all of two days, Miyako felt sure in her feelings for Kaoru. They had had time enough to become close through Powerpuff Girls Z, although exactly when her feelings had turned more romantic, Miyako wasn't sure. All she knew now was that her relationship with Kaoru, born on a wild surge of courage on Miyako's part, was very important to her. Life seemed so wonderful until today. Even knowing that it was ultimately inevitable, given the fact that she and Kaoru were both girls, Miyako didn't expect and didn't want to come up against this kind of conflict so soon.

Himeko, on the other hand, was torn between hating Miyako and wanting to ruin her, and still being attached to the prince. She constantly reminded herself that the "prince" she had met at the dance was really Kaoru, but a small part of her didn't want to believe it, despite what she had witnessed yesterday. Besides, she had already confessed to quite a few groups of people her attraction to Miyako's prince, and had vowed to get him from her one day. Only now, she knew that prince never existed, and never would. In order to get out of this situation on a good note, she'd have to convince them that she now hates the prince as much as she hates Miyako, and that meant she first had to convince herself of the same thing. She didn't want to admit it, even to herself: she just couldn't forget her image of the prince, and it scared her. There was no way she could be…. like Miyako.

A thought came to her- news Miyako's little fling with the school's renowned tomboy would surely sink both their reputations, and bring down their little circle of friends with the same stone. And no rumor is more potent than a true one. Miyako and her little girlfriend were done for, as soon as she beat down her lingering feelings for the illusion-prince.

The last bell rang, and the trio packed up, planning to talk things over at the Kintoki shop. Himeko watched them leave. Finally, eavesdropping on one of Momoko's useless conversations paid off. They would hang out at the snack bar for quite a while, but even that didn't leave Himeko much time.

Leaning through the window of her waiting limousine, she told her driver she had a few errands to make, and would call for a ride home when she was done. She waved as the car drove off, and watched it until it turned a corner. Making sure no one was watching her leave, she headed for Miyako's house.

Himeko strutted up the walk to the Miyako's front door, and rang the bell. A soft voice sounded from within the house, and soon after, Miyako's grandmother answered the door. Himeko gave her the best smile she could.

"Good afternoon! Mrs. Gotokuji, yes?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

Himeko's expression melted into one of concern. "I have some news that I think you should be aware of. It's about your granddaughter." Mrs. Gotokuji's face fell.

"What is it? Is she alright?"

"Oh, yes, she's not hurt or anything. I just thought you should know about her, um, relationship with Matsubara Kaoru. You see," her voice fell to a dramatic undertone, leaving Mrs. Gotokuji hanging on her every word. "Apparently, she and Miss Matsubara are _going out_."

"_Going out_?"

"Yes, ma'am," Himeko said sympathetically. "They were seen together at lunch, _kissing_."

Mrs. Gotokuji paled, staring at Himeko in disbelief. Himeko laid a comforting hand on her arm.

"I thought that such a thing shouldn't be kept from you."

"No, yes, of course. Thank you," Mrs. Gotokuji sputtered. Himeko gave her another sympathetic smile before excusing herself and heading back out into the street.

There was only one more to go. She checked her watch- 4:09 p.m.- and headed for the soccer field.

Soccer practice ended, and Dai headed to the locker rooms, wiping sweat from his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a redheaded figure moving towards him. He turned, finally indentifying her as a classmate of Kaoru, She waved at him, and he fell back from the group, waiting for her to catch up.

"You're in Kaoru's class, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. And speaking of Kaoru…"

Dai quirked an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"Well…" Himeko looked up at him worriedly. "You're the only one I could think of to ask this. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's a little personal." Dai gave her a quizzical look; she had to word this carefully so as to avoid sparking defensive feelings in him. "Did you ever… well, she's such a tomboy, but… Have you ever thought that Kaoru might… like girls?"

Dai started. "Why do you say that?" His voice was stern, as was his gaze. _Crap, he's getting defensive after all_, Himeko hissed in her mind. _I just have to twist this indignation against Kaoru and not against myself._

"Because she was seen kissing Miyako in the classroom during lunch. It seems they're in some sort of relationship."

Silence followed these statements, and Dai's face twisted into a pained, thoughtful expression Himeko couldn't quite read completely. Whatever he was thinking, it was now directed at Kaoru and didn't villainize her, that she knew.

"I just thought you should know, as her older brother. Like I said, there was no one else I could turn to with something like this. I'm sorry if I've burdened you."

"Nah, it's ok…" He chewed his lip for a second. "Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome." She paused for effect, then added, "I hope things work out alright."

"Yeah, so do I." Dai sighed, giving her a weak smile and a wave. She returned the sentiments, and walked back to the front of the school, calling her chauffeur. Her eyes glittered mischievously. The seeds to Miyako's destruction had been planted.

/ end ch 10


	11. Chapter 11

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 11-

Evening fell, bringing Tuesday to a close. In the orange-flushed streets, Kaoru and Miyako walked hand-in-hand. Occasionally, cicadas interrupted the silence between the two girls. They had already been talked nearly to death by Momoko, and wanted to forget about the whole prince fiasco, at least for now. The fear of losing each other was gripping their hearts, and no matter how hard they tried to push it out of mind, it came back to hang over them ominously. So for now, they held hands tightly, as if trying to burn the touch of the other into their flesh.

They stopped in front of the gate, and faced each other. Miyako wrapped her arms around Kaoru and held her tight. She felt Kaoru's arms encircle her, and she buried her face in Kaoru's neck.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Kaoru whispered back. Miyako let her arms fall and they stepped apart. She smiled up at Kaoru.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Mmkay. Bye, " Kaoru said simply, waving and walking off. Miyako watched her stuff her hands in her pockets as she went. So she was really bothered by it all, Miyako know that by that tell-tale nervous habit. She laughed a little at the sight- Kaoru was so cute when she hunched over like that- and passed through the gate to the front door. She found her grandmother standing in the corner of the doorframe. She started a bit- she hadn't expected her to be there. Miyako forced a smile across her lips, despite the unsettling feeling she was getting from her grandmother's downturned face.

"I'm home."

"Who was that, Miyako?" Mrs. Gotokuji almost cut her grandmother's words off. Their voices grazed past each other like cars veering to avoid a collision. Miyako was definitely concerned now.

"Just Kaoru. You know her—"

"_Just_ Kaoru?" the older women injected. Her gaze finally lifted to look at Miyako coldly. "Is she really _just Kaoru_ to you?"

Miyako's heart stopped. She stared at her grandmother in shock, unsure of what to say or do. How should she react to such a question? Should she lie? Should she shrug it off like nothing? Would this pause to think frantically betray her true thoughts? Her grandmother spoke again, replacing the silence with a steely voice.

"I heard. About you and.. that.. _girl_." She struggled with the words, as if the very act of saying it disgusted her. Miyako felt her dead-feeling heart sink. Mrs. Gotokuji's expression changed suddenly to one of pain and pleading. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me it was a lie." Miyako's voice caught in her throat, her own face reflecting the pain and pleading of her grandmother's- Don't ask me this. Don't make me go through this, please.

After a long, heavy silence from Miyako, Mrs. Gotokuji took in a shaky breath, finding her answer. This time, her voice dripped with contempt. "How could do you? How could you do this to me, to your family?"

Miyako felt tears prickling her eyes like a thousand tiny knives, brimming rapidly as she shook her head. She searched for words behind the tumult in her mind and heart. What should she do? She was breaking underneath her grandmother's hateful stare. _But I love her… I _love_ her…! _Her thoughts looped back on themselves, repeating and unable to move forward.

"You're not allowed to see her. Them. Ever again. Not until this silly phase of yours is over. And maybe not even then." The words came down like an executioner's blade. Miyako knew it was coming, but that didn't ease the pain she felt when they did. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she dumbly made her way to the stairs, to her room. Hiccupping sobs echoed lightly in the stairwell as she went up, thinking of what might well be her last hug with Kaoru. Sourness pooled in her stomach, making her feel sick.

Miyako vainly wished her parents were here instead of travelling, that she might be comforted in her mother's arms and hear her father's firm voice reprimanding her grandmother for being so unloving to such a sweet child. Then again, they would most likely side with her grandmother. She would lose everyone; her family would turn bitter towards her, and she would lose Kaoru.

_Kaoru…_

Miyako crawled into bed and buried her tear-wet face in her pillow. Oh, how she wished that Kaoru's arms were around her right now, that she could still hold on to her and never let go.

What had she done to deserve this? _Fall in love, that's right, _ Miyako thought to herself bitterly. _Is that so wrong?_ Apparently, it is.

The entire walk home, Kaoru's mind tried to work through situations to turn out well for her and Miyako. Every singe one of them involved a near-miracle. Her brain hurt by the time she noticed she was at her own door. By now the stars had come out. Hopefully her mom wasn't mad at her for coming home so late. Kaoru laughed to herself- if only that was the only thing her mother would get mad at her for.

She opened the door and called out a greeting, kicking her shoes off. Her mother welcomed her back from the kitchen, announcing that supper was already underway and to wash up to eat. Kaoru headed down the hall to drop her stuff off in her room. Dai was leaning against the wall next to her door. Pushing her worries away for the moment, she smiled at him.

"Hey."

Dai looked at her long and hard, analyzing every inch of her, before responding absently. Kaoru stopped in front of him, concerned.

"What's up?" Dai stared at her a moment more before speaking.

"Can I talk to you?"

"…Sure." She followed him into her room. He closed the door behind them. Kaoru let her bag slide off her shoulders and sat down on her bed, eyeing Dai in confusion. Dai scanned her room before releasing a heavy sigh. Finally, he looked his little sister in the eye.

"I was just wondering…" He ran a hand through his hair, searching for the words he wished he didn't have to say. "Just… You… don't seem that interested in boys." Kaoru stared at him.

"So?" she asked casually, even though the question put her on edge.

"So…" He sighed again. "I dunno… You're not… interested in _girls_, are you?"

Kaoru kept staring at him blankly. After a pressing silence, she answered dully, "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because one of your classmates told me that you and Miyako were kissing yesterday."

Kaoru almost betrayed her blank composure. Someone saw. Someone knew. Someone was telling. "Who told you that?" His gaze flitted around in thought, and he waved vaguely.

"Some redheaded girl. Big, starry eyes. Freckles." Kaoru gaped at him.

"_Himeko??_" So she really _does_ know who the prince is? Dai looked at her again, gravely.

"So is it true?"

Kaoru decided to bluff. "You believed what _Himeko_ said??" Her voice was rising, both in fear and in anger at that Shirogane bitch. "She hates me! She wouldn't even think twice about saying something like that to make you think that I—"

"It's not like I wasn't thinking that before!" Dai's deep voice roared over hers. She looked up at him timidly, scared by his volume and his words. He looked at her indignantly before shaking his head and storming out of the room. Mrs. Matsubara appeared in the doorway, inquiring about what just happened, but was called away by the phone ringing. Her voiced echoed down the hall: "Oh, hello, Mrs. Gotokuji. No, I'm not busy. Is everything alright? You sound upset…" Kaoru jumped up and slammed the door shut so hard that it rebounded and she had to push it shut again. As if raging around her room would release the tension she felt in her heart.

/ end ch 11


	12. Chapter 12

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 12-

The cheery notes of Miyako's ringtone reverberated in her otherwise dead-silent room. The girl looked up from her pillow blearily, she must have cried herself to sleep. It was almost completely dark outside; Miyako could only barely make out the orange-red dredges of twilight on the horizon. In the darkness, her room was dyed a blue-gray, lending it a desolate feel. "The same as how _I_ feel," she said to herself in the back of her mind. Her cell was still going off. Rubbing her sore eyes, Miyako reached into her backpack to retrieve the device, flipping it open when she read "Momoko" in the caller ID. She sniffled a bit before putting the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Miyako? The craziest thing just happened to me."

Miyako highly doubted it was worse than her own experiences that night. "What?"

"Well, _my_ mom got a call from _Kaoru's_ mom, who apparently got a call from _your_ mom, and she asked me if I thought there was anything romantic going on between you and Kaoru." Then, after a pause, "Isn't that crazy?"

"What did you tell them?" Momoko scoffed.

"I told them no. Duh." Miyako was silent again. "…Are you okay?"

"I can't see Kaoru anymore." The words tumbled out of her mouth, her voice breaking as she began to tear up again. "I can't see Kaoru anymore," she sobbed.

"Why?"

"Because it's true!" Momoko was silent this time, as Miyako cried on the other end.

"You're kidding." Miyako's heart contracted at Momoko's unguarded disbelief. She continued sobbing. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since the dance. She's the prince."

"And you don't _tell_ me this?"

"It all happened so fast…" Momoko seemed to ignore her words.

"I'm one of your _best friends_, and you start a _homosexual_ relationship with another one of your best friends _behind my back_??"

"I—"

"What about Takaaki," Momoko interrupted, sounding triumphant, like she had found the loophole in some elaborate joke. "What about Takaaki?"

"Takaaki and I fought. I… I don't think he cares for me as more than a friend, anyway."

"So you get with _Kaoru_? Miyako, this is so unlike you!"

"Momoko, Kaoru's been special to me this whole time- even before Powerpuff Girls Z," Miyako snapped, suddenly defensive of her girlfriend. "And frankly, Kaoru's been there for me more than Takaaki ever has!"

"Miyako- you don't even _like_ girls!"

"Oh, yeah?" Silence followed Miyako's challenge. She was still sobbing shakily, straining her ears for any noise on Momoko's end. She sighed. "Momoko, I'm sorry I snapped at you, and I'm sorry we kept this from you. But I love Kaoru—"

"FINE, be gay!" Momoko yelled into the phone. Stunned, Miyako's mind only barely registered her friend's faint sob. "I can't believe you're _lesbian_, Miyako." And she hung up. Miyako held her cell to her ear dumbly, even as the tone buzzed to let her know she'd been disconnected. Slowly, numbly, she closed it shut, the light from the screen disappearing and leaving Miyako in the lonely blue-gray hues of her empty room. She lay back down stiffly, letting her phone drop onto her mattress, and cried into her pillow again.

Miyako didn't know how long she cried, but suddenly, she heard a tap at her window. Twisting around to look, her heart leapt up- floating outside was Kaoru! She rushed over and opened the window. Kaoru flew inside and Miyako enveloped her in an embrace, fresh tears spilling over her cheeks.

"Oh, Kaoru, I thought I'd never see you again!" Kaoru smoothed her hair down, comfortingly.

"Me, too. Oh, _God,_ Miyako…" They held each other tightly, crying. Then, Miyako sniffled, pulling away a bit.

"If my grandma catches you up here, I don't know what she'll do."

"I take it she was as upset as my parents?" Miyako nodded glumly, thinking back to her conversation with Momoko. She wondered how Mr. and Mrs. Matsubara had reacted to the news. Kaoru grabbed her shoulders. "Miyako, I can't take it- I'm running away." Miyako's eyes snapped up to Kaoru's, widened with shock.

"You're _running away_?" She noticed the backpack slung over Kaoru's shoulder. Kaoru nodded.

"They were all yelling and shit. They locked me in my room. So I busted out. I want you to come with me." Miyako stared at her for a moment, first feeling sorry for how Kaoru had been treated, then thinking back over her own situation, how things had already completely fallen apart. Determined light in her eyes, Miyako squeezed Kaoru's forearms in reassurance, and made her way over to her backpack, dumping out all her school stuff and filling it with clothes and other things. Swinging her bag over her shoulders, Miyako touched her henshin belt and transformed. With a final cursory glance around her bedroom, Miyako walked over to Kaoru, taking her hand as they headed to the window. They launched from the ledge, leaving the window open and the curtains rustling in the gentle autumn breeze.

/ end ch 12


	13. Chapter 13

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 13-

Waking up the morning after her big blowout with Miyako, Momoko was almost surprised that she was more confused and upset than mad and upset. She had expected to feel more… vicious about it, like she had been last night. But in the wake of their argument, she found herself preoccupied with how things would change and what she was going to do now that things were different.

Miyako and Kaoru were lesbians. They liked girls. Momoko was a girl. It would definitely be odd (for Momoko, at least) to hang out with them now. Even the tiniest things like hugs or smiles would be radically different in her eyes, now that she knew. But at the same time, Miyako and Kaoru- Powerpuff Girls Z- were a major part of her life. She knew that without them, she'd have to adjust pretty much everything in her life; but a part of her wasn't sure that she could- or wanted to- make those adjustments. Sweeping her fiery hair into its usual ponytail, Momoko decided to cross that bridge when she came to it, which was, for now, not until class that morning.

She was able to push such thoughts out of her mind for the most part (she realized on the way to school that if she excommunicated Miyako and Kaoru, she would be walking to school alone every morning), until class began and Ms. Keane took roll, looking down at the paper with a frown on her face.

"It looks like Miss Gotokuji and Miss Matsubara are both absent today." She looked up at Momoko, as did Himeko, Momoko noticed. "Miss Akatsusumi, do you know if they're sick?"

"No," Momoko found herself answering simply. Ms. Keane scratched something on the roll sheet, shaking her head.

"Well, I hope they're okay." She went on to teach as usual, but Momoko was still thinking over the mysterious absence of her friends. Were they trying to avoid her? Or, maybe… Hadn't Miyako said something about not being able to see Kaoru anymore? Did that mean her grandmother wasn't letting her go to school? But that didn't explain why Kaoru was gone... These thoughts circled in Momoko's head all morning.

A few rows away, Himeko was thinking similarly. She hadn't expected Miyako and Kaoru to not show up. Were they in that much trouble over dating each other? As much as Himeko wanted Miyako to finally feel pain equal to what she had (inadvertently) caused her over the years, she was a little put out that she wouldn't get to witness her devastation the morning after her downfall. That went for Kaoru as well, as she had a personal vendetta against her ever since the prince incident. For now, she placated herself with the knowledge that what goes around comes around- and Miyako and Kaoru were getting theirs.

Lunch felt hauntingly empty for Momoko that day. She sat alone in the back of the room, watching in silence as crowds flocked around Himeko.

"Himeko-sama! Tell us who the prince is!"

"Yeah, tell us already!" The students' pleas and Himeko's self-important laughter were wearing down Momoko's nerves; she glared at her nemesis as she waved them off, obviously relishing the attention. Momoko threw her sandwich down and stomped through the crowd to face Himeko.

"Oh? Momoko, have you come to hear who the prince is, too?" There was a disconnect between her voice and her face- while the former was sugary-sweet, the other was condescending and haughty. Momoko leered and slammed her palms on the desk, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"That's not for you to tell, Himeko," she said harshly. Himeko met her eyes with equal intensity.

"No one else is."

"I think you're just bluffing." There was a collective gasp from the crowd. "If you really knew who he is, you would have told by now." She smirked down at Himeko, arms folded across her chest confidently. Himeko, however didn't back down like Momoko had expected.

"Oh, but I have. Important things such as these shouldn't be kept from family, don't you think?" Himeko watched with glee as Momoko's expression twisted to one of shock and disbelief. That meant Momoko had some idea of the real situation. _Good._

"_You_ did that?" she asked, still stunned. The smug grin on Himeko's face answered her question. Himeko had done that to them, Himeko had made Miyako cry like that, Himeko was the reason all three girls' worlds were falling apart in front of their eyes. Sudden defensiveness of her friends surged through Momoko, and she slapped Himeko's self-righteous smile right off her face, with force enough to let her feel their combined fury in Kaoru and Miyako's stead. The surrounding crowd backed off, sensing the volatility of the moment. Himeko herself reeled backwards, eyes wide and hand raised to her stinging cheek. Momoko shattered the small, intervening silence. "YOU BITCH! YOU INSENSITIVE, STUCK-UP LITTLE BITCH! YOU'VE GONE WAY TOO FAR THIS TIME!"

Recovering from the travesty that had befallen her, Himeko snapped and lunged forward to return Momoko's favor. Momoko, however, blocked her attack and went in for a punch, but Himeko flailed and she caught her arm instead. People were beginning to yell "chick fight" when Ms. Keane burst into the room and broke it up, sending Momoko to the principal's office. Grabbing her bag, Momoko shot a final glare at Himeko, who had escaping getting in trouble by playing the victim. Himeko glared back, and Momoko stalked out of the room.

The principal sent Momoko home, but instead of going to her house, she headed to the high school. She asked the lady at the front desk where to find Matsubara Dai, and ran into his classroom where he was eating lunch. Every head turned to look at Momoko, who was flushed from running. Dai stared at her incredulously.

"_Momoko?_"

"Dai, I need to talk to you." She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out into the hall. When they had shut the door behind them, Dai turned to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was sent home, but whatever," Momoko waved the question off. "Dai, did Himeko talk to your parents yesterday?" Dai's face fell, becoming serious.

"No, she talked to me." His voice had dropped, too. Momoko was surprised by this news. "Did she talk to you?"

"Well, Miyako got to me first, but yeah. She did. She told me she told your and Miyako's families about… what happened." It was Dai's turn to look at her in surprise.

"She went to Miyako's family, too? She told me I was the only one she trusted to talk to."

"Well, she lied. She's not above blackmail, even though she acts all high and mighty." Dai felt a pang of regret- Kaoru had told him as much last night. He should have believed her.

"So this is all some big scam?" Momoko's eyes fell, and Dai's hope went with it.

"Miyako told me it was true. I didn't know it was Himeko who had exposed them- but…" Tears welled up in her amber eyes. "I went off on her over the phone. I completely lost it- and now she hates me." Momoko hastily wiped away her tears, but they were soon replaced by more. "They didn't even come to school today—"

"They didn't come to school?" Momoko shook her head, hiccupping. "Where are they?"

"I dunno- I thought they were at home."

"Kaoru was gone when I got up this morning, and I got up early to do laps and get my mind off things." They met each others' eyes, worry creeping into their hearts. "Hold on." Dai jogged into the classroom and grabbed his cell phone. Back out in the hall, he flipped it open and dialed his house. "Do you have Miyako's home number?" Momoko nodded and grabbed her phone as well. The reports came in that neither were at home.

"Shit," Dai muttered under his breath, punching the end call button and furiously keying in more numbers. "I'm calling Kao's cell." He was rewarded with her answering machine, and snapped the phone shut in frustration. Momoko lowered her own phone from her ear, shaking her head.

"Miyako isn't picking up."

"Neither is Kaoru."

"You don't think… they did anything _rash_, do you?" Dai merely chewed on his lip before turning to open the door to the classroom again.

"We gotta find them."

/ end ch 13


	14. Chapter 14

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 14-

Kaoru and Miyako didn't really have a destination, so they flew a good ways out of the city until morning, when they began searching for a temporary encampment. They found refuge in the woods at the foot of the mountains. Touching down by a stream, they rested from travelling all night. When they woke up, Miyako decided to dip her feet in the water, and pulled Kaoru in after her. After splashing around for a while, Kaoru began to wander upstream. They eventually grabbed their bags from the bank and trekked along the riverbed to see what they could find. Coming across a clearing, they found a moderately well-built log cabin. Laughing at their luck, they made their way over to the window and peered in. It was deserted. Kaoru tried the door, and it swung open for them.

"Looks like we've found a place," she said.

"No one to ask questions." Miyako smiled at her girlfriend. "I like it."

"Good. Me, too." They went inside and put their stuff down. The cabin was small, but open. There was a fireplace on the right, with a table and cabinets nearby. The left side of the room housed a medium-sized bed. "Hey, it'll be just like camping," Kaoru said. "And you can even bathe in the stream…" she flung her arm out gesturing at the brook. Miyako laughed.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Kaoru blushed at her question, inciting more laughter from Miyako.

Kaoru fashioned a crude deadbolt for the door at Miyako's request, and they began to clean the place up, making it more of a home.

Momoko was completely out of breath from scouring the suburbs in the vain hope of finding Miyako and Kaoru, but she kept on running until she made it back to Miyako's house to meet up with Dai and his family from their searches. They were gathered on the porch, Mrs. Matsubara and Mrs. Gotokuji trying to comfort one another in their losses. Dai and his father looked at Momoko pleadingly as she ran up, but despair returned to their eyes as they realized that neither of the missing girls was with her.

"You couldn't find them?" Mrs. Matsubara asked through her tears. Momoko shook her head apologetically. Mrs. Gotokuji looked up from the handkerchief she'd been crying into.

"I even asked that boy Takaaki if he knew anything. Apparently he hadn't seen her since almost two weeks ago." She dabbed at her eyes with the cloth. "I'm calling the police. I don't know what else we can do," she announced, turning to go inside. The others stood outside in anxious silence, but Momoko was more impatient.

"I'm going to look again," she called over her shoulder as she ran out again. Dai looked like he wanted to stop her, but she disappeared behind the fence before he got the chance. Running into the nearest alley, she took a moment to catch her breath before transforming and flying at top speed to Professor Utonium's lab. She barged in through the observatory deck's window, nearly giving the professor, Ken, and Peach heart attacks. They had almost no time to recover from the shock before she broke the bad news: "Miyako and Kaoru have run away!"

"W-What? Why?" Utonium stammered. Tears sprung to Momoko's eyes.

"I… It's complicated. We fought, and then they fought with their parents, and it's all Himeko's fault, and I feel like such an ass…" The words tumbled out of her mouth, flowing as freely as her tears. Professor Utonium motioned for her to calm down.

"When did they go missing?"

"This morning- I think. They weren't at school, so…"

"Where do you think they would go?" Ken asked.

"I don't know," Momoko said dumbly, hating herself for it. Ken's brow furrowed with concern.

"We have to think of _something_. They could be hundreds of miles away by now, if they flew."

Momoko sank into the professor's empty chair, burying her face in her hands. "Ohh, God…"

Professor Utonium looked to Peach in an appeal. "Can't you track their white light, like you can with monsters?"

"I can try, da wan," the dog answered determinedly. His ears rose into the air slightly so as to heighten his radar, and Momoko, Ken, and the professor watched with bated breath. After a couple of minutes, Peach opened his eyes. "I'm sensing their auras in the mountains." Momoko, hasty as she was and her judgment clouded even more by worry, started to take off immediately, but was stopped by Ken grabbing her arm.

"At least wait until we know the general area! Given just that statement, they could be _anywhere_ in the mountains."

"He's right, Momoko," Utonium interjected calmly. "It'll do no good to rush off now without all the facts."

"I can begin to pinpoint them if I go with her," said Peach. They loaded into Professor Utonium's van and headed back to Miyako's house.

The congregation on the Gotokuji veranda was shocked to see the professor's car roll up, and even more so when Momoko jumped out, Peach in arms. Utonium followed her to the porch with Ken in his wake.

"Mrs. Matsubara, Mrs. Gotokuji, I understand that your daughters have gone missing. I wish to lend my knowledge and technology to the search. If nothing else, you'll have another pair of eyes looking." Ken nodded to show his contribution in the effort. The missing girls' guardians looked at each other, agreement apparent in their eyes.

Mrs. Gotokuji and Mrs. Matsubara elected to stay and deal with the police; Dai and Mr. Matsubara joined Momoko, Peach, Ken, and the professor in heading to the mountains. Peach occasionally gave directions, leading them up to the edge of the woods on the foothills. The car could go no further, and Mr. Matsubara, Dai, Momoko, and Peach set out on foot, linked by walkie-talkie, while Professor Utonium and Ken stayed in the van to meet up with the others when the police arrived.

Once Momoko was sure Dai and his father were a good ways away, she transformed again and focused on covering as much ground as possible, guided by Peach. As they flew over a clearing, Peach began squirming violently and shouted, "Down there! Down there, da wan! They're here!" She dropped down hastily and, reverting to her normal clothes, spoke into the walkie-talkie.

"I think I've found them." Trusting the tracker Professor Utonium had installed in the device would guide the others to her, she ran up to the cabin in the middle of the glen and pulled on the door, knocking heavily when it didn't budge.

The two girls inside nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden noise. Kaoru hoisted a piece of firewood above her head and crept to the door, ready to strike. Miyako crawled to the window and peeped out. She looked at Kaoru in shock when she saw who was behind the door.

"Momoko…?" she whispered, incredulity permeating her soft voice. Kaoru's eyebrows rose, and she laid the wood down. The girl outside knocked again.

"Kaoru…? Miyako…?" she called tentatively. Miyako stood up and took a place behind Kaoru, laying a hand on her shoulder. Kaoru unbolted the door and cracked it open. They were met with Momoko's tearstained face, which melted into mixed relief and happiness upon seeing her friends peer through the door.

"Miyako, Kaoru, thank God I found you!" Peach jumped up to be seen.

"We were so worried, da wan!"

But Kaoru wasn't one to let grudges go that easily. "The hell you were," she said darkly, shutting the door again. Momoko was dumbfounded.

"What…?"

"You know what, Momoko. We're _lesbians_, whether you can believe it or not." Momoko recognized her own words from her phone conversation with Miyako being thrown back at her.

"That just caught me off-guard—"

"It caught you off-guard, and you responded with anger and hate. It caught my brother off-guard, and he started pretending like I didn't even exist. It caught my dad off-guard, and he yelled at me for disgracing him. It caught my mom off-guard, and she cried because she was so disappointed in me. It caught Miyako's grandmother off-guard, and she tried to lock her up so the world wouldn't know. It caught you off-guard, and you were ready to give up our friendship." Kaoru shook slightly from biting back tears and from the anger that leaked into her speech. Silence reigned, except for some faint rustling outside as someone approached. Momoko didn't turn around, even as the person walked up behind her.

"Are they here?" she heard Dai ask breathlessly, but didn't respond, only stood there rigidly, fists clenched by her sides. "…Momoko?" He leaned forward to look at her face. Her eyes were shielded behind her bangs. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she was mouthing something over and over. Dai looked up at the door. "Kaoru?" Silence. "Kaoru, are you in there?"

"Why are _you_ here?" Kaoru's voice tried to be defiant, but only succeeded in betraying how weak she felt.

"Because I was worried about you."

"You and Momoko, I'm sure," she said flippantly. Dai looked back at Momoko's face.

"She is."

"And I'm sure the whole family is out looking for me."

"They are. Miyako's grandmother, too. We've all been searching since this morning when Momoko and I realized you were gone—"

"If you cared so much, then why did you avoid me like I wasn't even there?!"

"Because I was beating myself up! Okay? I was avoiding you because you were so upset at what mom and dad were doing and saying, and it hurt because I feel like it's my fault!"

It was Kaoru's turn to reel in shock from her brother's outburst. "Your fault…?"

"I've always treated you like a brother, like one of the guys. You haven't even been all that girly or anything, and I feel like that's because you would have thought I'd reject you and that I somehow impressed into you the desire to be a guy and it escalated into… this… And I'm sorry for that." His words hung in the air while his sister tried to wrap her mind around this confession.

"…Dai… You didn't make me gay. That has nothing to do with this. This is just… who I am. But I'm not sorry for that. I'm sorry that mom and dad hate me, and I'm sorry that the people I'm close to don't accept me, but I won't apologize for who I am or how I feel, because I love Miyako." Kaoru squeezed Miyako's hand, letting that simple touch strengthen her. "And it's not a new thing, either. It's not just a phase. Unless phases last over a year. I _love_ her." They waited in silence, bracing themselves for the reaction.

Momoko's voice rose to a murmur, and her mute words sputtered to life: "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" The sounds were wavered by sobs. "I didn't mean to abandon you- I didn't _want_ to abandon you- I found out- It was Himeko who told everyone- I'm so sorry…" Now that her voice had been used again, she couldn't stop the strangled gasps and sobs from leaving her. "I don' hate you- You're my best friends, and I couldn't live without you, and I'm so sorry for yelling at you, Miyako. I'm so sorry…"

Eyes swimming with tears, Miyako stepped past Kaoru to open the door, reaching her arms out to Momoko. "I forgive you," she said as Momoko rushed into the embrace. "It was a shock, and we should have trusted you enough to tell you, and I'm sorry we didn't." Momoko shook her head.

"They way I reacted, you were right not to tell me. I don't think I could live with myself if all this was my fault."

Kaoru stepped out shyly, falling into place next to Miyako. "I-I'm sorry I doubted you, Momoko," she said softly. Momoko looked up to see the normally tough-skinned girl with tears wet on her cheeks. "Forgive me?"

Momoko broke away from Miyako to face Kaoru. "Only if you forgive me." Kaoru nodded, knowing that they had already forgiven each other in their hearts, and the two hugged . When they stepped apart, Kaoru looked to Dai, who was struggling to keep from breaking down in front of the girls.

"You're my little sister, and I'll always love you. No matter what." Enveloping Kaoru in his arms, some tears slipped out despite his efforts at holding them in. "So do mom and dad. We were worried sick. All of us were," he said to Miyako as much to Kaoru, wiping his tears away and looking to Momoko to confirm this fact.

"I bet the police are here by now. Miyako's grandmother must have told them we had a signal on you here."

"A signal?" Miyako asked. Peach stepped back into the group.

"You're better not try to run away again, because I'll have to come find you and drag you back if I have to, da wan." His remonstration held nothing but concern for them. Kaoru smiled at him, picking him up and hugging him.

"We're sorry, Peach."

"We promise not to do it again," Miyako said, giving him a hug as well. Momoko looked at her two friends hopefully.

"So this means you're coming home?"

Kaoru and Miyako looked at each other, searching each others' eyes. "Yeah." They went back inside the cabin and packed their things, slinging their bags over their shoulders once more, reemerging. As awkward as it was with Momoko, Dai, and Peach there, they took each others' hands and followed their friends back to where the others were waiting for them at the edge of the woods.

The sunlight dappling the forest floor grew bigger and brighter as the trees thinned. Soon they were able to pick out heads and the outline of Professor Utonium's van from behind the foliage. Squeezing each others' hands encouragingly, they tried to steady themselves for exposing themselves to their families once again. With a deep breath, they stepped out from under the trees.

Kaoru's parents were there, along with her younger brother Shou. Miyako's grandmother waited next to them, and to her left were Professor Utonium and Ken. The two women rushed forward to embrace their progeny, doting on them. Families surrounding the prodigals, Momoko and Peach drifted over to Utonium and Ken.

Miyako looked her grandmother in the eye steadily. "Grandmother… I do want to come home. But I still love Kaoru, and I still want to be with her. That won't change. So I hope you can accept that and put up with me." Mrs. Gotokuji's eyes glistened with tears.

"You really care enough about her to give everything else up." It was a statement she wanted confirmed more than a question.

"Yes."

"…Then I won't stop you. I _can't_ stop you." A soft, knowing smile graced her lips. "Love and devotion of that ilk must run in the family."

Kaoru looked up at her parents, pleadingly. Mr. and Mrs. Matsubara looked at each other.

"Mom, Dad… It's her choice," Dai said. They took a while to mull his words over, and then her father sighed.

"You know we love you no matter what, right?" Kaoru smiled.

"I know."

Professor Utonium spoke up. "So, you two are together?" In answer, Kaoru and Miyako stood side-by-side, hand-in-hand. They nodded, unsure of how he and Ken would react. The professor smiled at them. "I thought so." The three girls', Ken's, and Peach's jaws dropped.

"You knew??"

"Well, I had my suspicions around last week, but I never took my hunches seriously." He shrugged, embarrassed by the sudden attention.

Ken crossed his arms and regarded the pair warmly. "Well, good for you two." Peach jumped up and down excitedly.

"Congratulations, da wan!" Miyako and Kaoru blushed at the support, grinning. Momoko walked up and crushed them in a group hug.

"Searching for you two idiots has made me hungry! How about we go celebrate at the Kintoki shop?" Kaoru's grin widened.

"How did I know you were going to say that?" she teased. Momoko laughed sheepishly, infecting the other two with giggles as they ran off for their usual snack bar.

/ end ch 14


	15. Chapter 15

**Aki no Drama**

Chapter 15-

Epilogue

The warm afternoon breeze of spring danced lazily through the air, carrying the delicate fragrance of cherry blossoms. Despite its gentle speed, it managed to blow a lone paper off a table in the school courtyard. The flyer tumbled along the ground for a while, before being snatched up by a black-haired girl. She held it up in front of her so her two friends could see. It was an advertisement for the school's spring dance.

"Another one?" the coal-haired girl asked, frowning slightly. Her red-headed friend chided her.

"Hey, I thought you'd be happy about it! _I_ am!"

You're always excited about these things. It never ceases to amaze me."

The third girl, a blonde, laughed and wove her arm through the first girl's to grab her hand. "Well, you know you have a date," she said.

"The prettiest one," the black-haired girl agreed, nuzzling her nose against the blonde's The redhead poked her on the arm.

"Hey, careful there, lovebirds. Himeko might get jealous." They laughed.

"_Himeko_ might get jealous? The school's entire male population might get jealous! This is Gotokuji Miyako we're talking about, after all." The blonde blushed at the flattery, but the ginger-haired girl scoffed playfully.

"Like that opinion's not completely biased."

"Well, it's true! Momoko, you've seen how many love letters she'd get from guys!"

"Funny how they suddenly stopped once word got out she was dating you, Kaoru." The black-haired girl addressed smirked.

"That's 'cause they know I can beat 'em up."

Miyako, still clinging to Kaoru's arm, leaned forward to address the group. "Hey, now that I'm out of the running, I wonder how Himeko will fare at getting a date?" Momoko and Kaoru exchanged knowing glances.

"Fat chance!" They all laughed at the memory of Himeko's antics to get a date for the last dance.

"With any luck, she'll leave us alone this time," Kaoru said. Miyako smiled at her.

"Yeah. We don't need a re-run of autumn's drama."

"Amen to that," Momoko conceded. "Hey, Miyako, what're you going to wear?"

"I don't know. I don't think I have anything that fits that'd be appropriate for spring." She and Momoko looked pleadingly at Kaoru, who stared ahead stoically, not wanting to get caught up in another dress-shopping excursion. Miyako leaned her head onto Kaoru's shoulder. "Please…?" Kaoru couldn't resist her girlfriend's charm.

"Ohh…! Alright," she relented. Momoko gave a victorious whoop and set off skipping down the sidewalk, visualizing her perfect dress. Miyako kissed Kaoru on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said sweetly.

"Only because I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know. I love you, too."

Hand-in-hand, they raced to catch up with Momoko through the cherry tree-lined streets.

/ end Aki no Drama


End file.
